Circuit Jules Tacheny, Mettet (Belgium) — Saturday 16 May 2015; Albatec Racing lies inside the crucial top 12 qualifiers for the third round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, at the Circuit Jules Tacheny, Mettet tomorrow. Former French Rallycross Champion Jérôme Grosset-Janin, at the wheel of one of the team’s two-litre 16v Peugeot 208 Supercars, is placed 11th overall in the overnight standings, and second of the drivers registered for the opening Euro RX round.
The Frenchman was seventh fastest in open practice and took a convincing race win in his opening heat, however rain fall over the course of the eight races, meant the overall race times were slower, dropping him to 16th. A strong drive in the second race allowed him to claw back vital time and places, finishing the day just outside the top ten on his first competitive outing for six months, and his first with the Dumfries outfit.
Making his European debut, British driver James Grint impressed during the dry warm-up around the 1.1km track near Charleroi, and overcame the tricky conditions in his opening race to finish fourth, but in the deteriorating conditions finished 28th overall. The former rally man, who performed well on his Supercar debut with the team at Pembrey last weekend, had his first taste of wet rallycross conditions today, and is placed 29th of the 37 strong entry, ahead of two final qualifying heats tomorrow.
The Ladbrokes World RX of Belgium resumes with warm-up at 09.00am, before the final qualifying heats get underway at 10.30. The Euro RX semi-finals, in which the fastest 12 from all four heats, start at 13.40, with the first three from each semi final progressing to the Finals at 15.00.
Andy Scott, Albatec Racing Team Principal:
“I’m very happy with both our drivers this weekend; Jérôme has done an absolutely stellar job, his 40.345 in timed practice was fantastic. He was unlucky in the first heats as it started to rain and the heats therefore got slower and slower, but he still put in a very strong drive. To finish second of the Euro RX runners and be placed 11th overall in the overnight standings is a great achievement and I’m very happy with his performance.
“James also has shown again great maturity today and kept himself out of trouble. He had two steady drives and it’s only his second ever Supercar event and the first time in these conditions. He improves all the time, and I hope tomorrow it will be dry and there will be more to come from both James and Jérôme.”
Jérôme Grosset-Janin, Albatec Racing driver #74:
“I feel very good in the car and the performance is definitely there as in free practice we were seventh fastest which is pretty good for the first laps in competition. There were just the weather changes and a few small things, but generally I’m pretty happy with the first day and 11th overall.
“The car is very quick, which is the most important, and I fit very well in it. I’m also feeling confident with the car, I can do what I like with it, although of course it’s very hard to enjoy these conditions as I don’t yet know the car fully, but that will come.”
James Grint, Albatec Racing driver #27:
“I think it’s been a decent start really, I made a few mistakes which cost me a bit of time in the heats, but all in all it’s been a decent run. It’s only my second ever Supercar race and the first time in the wet, and for me it’s all about learning; I think there’s a lot more to come.
“I think in dry conditions I should be able to push more, it’s a very steep learning curve, but we’re moving in the right direction. You never know what to expect in the wet until you’re in those conditions and now I have a better idea. The times are coming down, and I think the pace will come. The car is great, the team is great, and I’m loving every second.”
