World Rallycross gets radical

But, while there are all-star drivers, you could argue it’s the cars that really draw the crowds. They look a bit like road vehicles, but they’re 550bhp racing monsters. Mattias Ekström’s car is loosely based on an Audi S1, but only loosely. However the regulations are aimed at bringing close racing, so all the cars have restrictors on the intake.

They also run control tyres, with just one dry and one wet compound available from supplier Cooper Tires. The only notable point is that these tyres are crossplies and they have specially strengthened sidewalls. Not for any other reason than that they have to be able to withstand banging other wheels.

The result is that the cars hurtle road nose to tail and side by side, over smooth surface and then over rubble, stones and rough going. Often lap times are within a few hundredths of a second.

As if that didn’t make the racing close enough, there is literally one more joker in the pack. A joker lap. This involves driving a slightly extended version of the course for one lap of the race. The trick is to work out when to get that in the bank – early or late? It introduces yet another random element to the racing and makes the tactics fascinating.

The result of all this is close, fast and furious racing by big-name drivers in sensational looking cars round a course that changes every lap. Looks like World Rallycross is going to get even more popular with racers as well as fans.