Hansen Motorsport, at the forefront of rallycross for over 30 years, will be forming an alliance for the 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship with SKF, one of the longest-standing companies globally and a leader in the manufacturing of bearings, seals, and other industrial components.
For 2024, two of the most historic companies in their respective fields will be combining their wealth of experience, with SKF supplying wheel bearings for the Hansen World RX Team’s race cars in the World RX championship.
As 2019 World RX Drivers’ Champion Timmy Hansen and 2023 World RX runner-up Kevin Hansen push their all-electric Peugeot 208 RX1e cars to the limit.
This year World RX is re-introducing RX1 combustion cars running on sustainable fuels against their all-electric counterparts – introduced to the grid two years ago. Facing the challenges of a new format, SKF’s bearings will minimize friction and maximize performance as the Hansen World RX Team pursues the World RX title alongside its sustainability goals.
Kenneth Hansen, Team Principal at Hansen World RX Team, said: “SKF is reliability and performance combined in one brand, which is exactly what a race team looks for. What’s more, knowing that SKF is pushing their sustainability work makes their product a perfect fit for us. Having a supplier that shares our commitments and contributes to our goals, by lowering friction and reducing consumption and energy loss, will play a big part in the upcoming season.
Philipp Herlein, the head of Vehicle Aftermarket at SKF, emphasized, “We have been in this sport a long time, and in their industry for even longer. We continue to polish and perfect everything that we do. With our extensive Original Equipment (OE) knowledge and our longstanding presence in the automotive industry, including our commitment to sustainability through advanced automotive technology, we are well-equipped to supply parts to the racing team. We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate and contribute to their success this year”
“We are honoured to partner with Hansen Motorsport for the 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship. Our collaboration represents the fusion of two power companies, each with a rich history of excellence in their respective fields. By supplying our high-performance wheel bearings to the Hansen World RX Team, we aim to contribute to their pursuit of victory while aligning with their sustainability objectives. We look forward to a successful season together.”
The 2024 World RX schedule features five double-header events, with the campaign kicking off in Höljes, Sweden (6-7 July). Following the ‘Magic Weekend’ season-opener, the championship heads to Hungary where the drivers will take on Nyirád’s ‘Red Cauldron’. Two well-known World RX venues follow in Mettet, Belgium and Montalegre in Portugal, ahead of an exciting season finale as the series heads overseas to Australia.