SMT and Volvo CE are partners for one of the most exciting competitions in motorsport racing, the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
About rallycross and the FIA world RX
Rallycross is a dual-surface discipline combining rallying and circuit racing contained within amphitheatre venues. Launched in 2014, it is only 8 years later in 2022, that the championship embarked on a new electric era, having fully electric cars racing head-to-head with sustainably-fueled combustion-powered vehicles.
CE Dealer Team, the Volvo Construction Equipment team created in 2022 especially for this competition, has two electric cars competing in the championship. The cars are fully electric PWR RX1 producing over 600bhp and can accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than 2 seconds. For the Volvo CE and SMT sponsored team, rallying with fully electric cars is a way to drive change in society on diversity and sustainability, and highlight the excitement that an electric future can offer. Volvo CE is also the official track building partner for the FIA World RX and was able to showcase its product range and innovative services, keeping the circuits in perfect condition.
After the first two rounds in Sweden and Hungary, the competition headed to Circuit Jules Tacheny Mettet in Belgium on August 17-18. Volvo CE and SMT had a stand over the weekend to welcome SMT guests, customers, sub-dealers as well as SMT employees. A great event where many SMT guests were able to experience rallycross for the first time.
On August 17th, the CE Dealer Team Finn driver Niclas Grönholm faced technical difficulties with his car, preventing him from driving at his usual pace. He still managed to secure a spot in the finals, but backed out so his teammate, the Swedish driver Klara Andersson, who suffered a puncture early in the semi-finals and was right behind him in the standings, could participate in his place, as he knew his car couldn’t allow him to perform at his best.
On Sunday, the technical issues were fixed on Niclas’ car and both drivers secured a place in the finals for the first time of the season. They ended the weekend with a 5th place for Niclas followed directly Klara in 6th position in the driver standings.
Although the Belgian round wasn’t the best for the CE Dealer Team, SMT was proud to support them, the first-ever gender-equal driver line-up in the history of the FIA World RX. We wish them great results for the coming races.
