The 2022 FIA European Rallycross Championship gets underway this weekend (21/22 May) at Nyriád in Hungary. Featuring a wide range of talent from returning champions to rising stars, and in a setting as spectacular as Nyriád, it promises to be a blockbuster start to the season.
Known affectionately as the “Red Cauldron” due to its distinctive surface colour, Nyriád is making a welcome return to the highest level of rallycross, having last hosted a Euro RX event in 2013. With its combination of loose gravel, technical corners, and a whole host of overtaking opportunities, it comes as no surprise that the drivers are relishing the prospect of racing here again.
SET Promotion‘s driver Anton Marklund said of the track “You can really send the car on the loose gravel and drive full attack, which I love. You need a lot of commitment but also a lot of precision to make sure you get it exactly right – that’s very challenging, but huge fun. I will really enjoy taking part in the first round of the year on a proper rallycross track.”
Sweden’s Anton Marklund will be one of the favourites, having teamed up with SET Promotion for this year’s campaign. Credit: SET Promotion
The 29 year old Swedish driver will be among the favourites this weekend. Having won the title twice before, he has now teamed up with SET Promotion, who have a whopping nine titles under their belts. However, if experience is the mark of success, then Marklund will be facing stiff competition.
Jānis Baumanis, last year’s third-place finisher and highest-returning driver, will be racing with #YellowSquad, part of Hansen Motorsport, the team led by rallycross legend Kenneth Hansen and who scored 20 championship victories between 1989 and 2016.
Having secured his first Euro RX win last year at Lohéac in France, René Münnich will be hungry for more. Conversely, two-time runner up in the championship Jean Baptiste “JB” Dubourg will be keen to put the memory of 2021 behind him, as he was ruled out of contention by a crash at the same event which broke his arm. Expect him to come back fighting.
Home favourite Tamás Kárai will be another one to watch. Having competed in three finals last year and scoring a podium, plus having his home crowd behind him, don’t be surprised to see him fighting for the win come the end of the weekend.
René Münnich flies to victory at Lohéac in 2021. Credit: Rallycross Promoter GmbH / Red Bull Content Pool
However, these more experienced drivers will have to watch out, for there is a whole new generation of talent rising up through the ranks who will be desperate to prove themselves. Reigning Euro RX3 champion Yury Belevskiy will definitely be one to watch, having scored a mighty 147 out of a possible 150 points as he soared to victory last year. 2021 Cooper Tires’ “Rookie Of The Year” Sivery Svardal will be keen to improve after his impressive debut season in Euro RX.
Enzo Ide is also joining in the fun, bringing with him everything he learned from last year’s World RX campaign, which, given he was partnered with now four-time world champion Johan Kristoffersson, should stand him in good stead. And, having secured a podium finish at his debut supercar event at Lydden Hill followed by a stunning double victory at Pembrey just last weekend, 18-year old Patrick O’Donovan will be riding a wave of momentum as he makes his Euro RX debut in his Ford Fiesta.
This weekend really is set to be unpredictable, with such a wide range of experience on the grid, which can only mean one thing. While we may not know who will emerge victorious, one thing is for certain: it is going to be very, very exciting.
The 2022 FIA European Rallycross Championship gets underway in Nyriád in Hungary (21/22 May).
| NO. | DRIVER | NAT. | COMPETITOR | NAT. | CAR |
| 2 | Oliver O’DONOVAN | IRL | Oliver O’Donovan | IRL | Proton Iriz |
| 4 | Patrick O’DONOVAN | GBR | Patrick O’Donovan | GBR | Ford Fiesta |
| 6 | Jānis BAUMANIS* | LVA | #YellowSquad | SWE | Peugeot 208 |
| 11 | Aleš FUČÍK | CZE | KRTZ Motorsport ACCR Czech Team | CZE | Volkswagen Polo |
| 12 | Anders MICHALAK | SWE | Hedströms Motorsport | SWE | Volkswagen Polo |
| 24 | Sivert SVARDAL | NOR | Sivert Svardal | NOR | Volkswagen Polo |
| 27 | László KISS | HUN | Speedbox Racing Team KFT | HUN | Peugeot 208 |
| 33 | Ulrik LINNEMANN* | DNK | Linnemann Promotion | DNK | Ford Fiesta |
| 38 | Mandie AUGUST* | DEU | ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport | DEU | SEAT Ibiza |
| 39 | Zoltán KONCSEG | HUN | Kárai Motorsport Sportegyesület | HUN | Audi A1 |
| 44 | Dariusz TOPOLEWSKI* | POL | Oponeo | POL | Ford Fiesta |
| 50 | Attila MÓZER* | HUN | Nyirád Motorsport KFT | HUN | Ford Fiesta |
| 51 | Márk MÓZER | HUN | Nyirád Motorsport KFT | HUN | Peugeot 208 |
| 66 | LUIGI* | HUN | GFS Motorsport Egyesület | HUN | Ford Fiesta |
| 73 | Tamás KÁRAI* | HUN | Kárai Motorsport Sportegyesület | HUN | Audi S1 |
| 77 | René MÜNNICH | DEU | ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport | DEU | SEAT Ibiza |
| 84 | Hervé KNAPICK | FRA | Hervé Knapick | FRA | Citroën DS3 |
| 87 | Jean Baptiste DUBOURG | FRA | Jean Baptiste Dubourg | FRA | Peugeot 208 |
| 88 | Marcin GAGACKI* | POL | Oponeo | POL | Ford Fiesta |
| 91 | Enzo IDE* | BEL | EKS | SWE | Audi S1 |
| 92 | Anton MARKLUND* | SWE | SET Promotion | FIN | Hyundai i20 |
| 95 | Yury BELEVSKIY* | CHE | Volland Racing KFT | HUN | Audi A1 |
*Denotes Permanent Entrants