Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Lydden have hopes for world rallycross return
Motorsport
announced in January that they will move the British round from the Lydden track to Silverstone in Northamptonshire from 2018.
Doran added: “We had a high bar to meet this weekend – we wanted to make an event that would be the best world championship meeting ever made and, by what other people have said, I think we have done.
“I am not going to let the planning situation beat us – there has got to be a happy medium where everyone is happy.
“I am a great believer in fate and I think it will turn out best in the end.”
On circuit, Solberg dominated the Supercar qualifying proceedings on Saturday, taking victories in Q1 and Q2 aboard his factory-backed Volkswagen Polo.
He continued his fine form on Sunday, claiming top spot in Q3 before dropping to third in Q4 behind Timmy Hansen and Kristoffersson.
Solberg saved three new tyres for his semi-final and swept to victory, while Kristoffersson led Sébastien Loeb and current champion Mattias Ekstrom home in semi-final two.
In the final, Solberg took his joker lap from the lead on the second tour and, when those ahead took their compulsory alternative routes, grabbed top spot back to win from Kristoffersson and Bakkerud.
Nine-time World Rally champion Loeb took a strong fourth, while Mattias Ekstrom and Hansen were both slowed by rear punctures to finish fifth and sixth.
Solberg said: “I am sorry that it is the last World Rallycross at Lydden as it is fantastic here and, for me, this race was absolutely perfect.
“I am so fast here and I like the track so I am sad but you never know, it could come back.
“It’s a sad thing but to win here at least, for the last time, will go down in the history books and that means a lot to me.
“I want to say thank you to everybody involved in Lydden Hill for so many years and all the volunteers for doing such a fantastic job.”
Former British Touring Car champion Andrew Jordan excelled at Lydden, taking his MJP Racing Team Austria Ford Fiesta to eighth overall despite being unable to test the car beforehand.
In the support classes, Lars-øivind Enerberg took victory from Steve Volders in Touringcar, while current British Rallycross champion Dan Rooke, 19, finished second behind Frenchman Cyril Raymond in RX2.
Circuit bosses also arranged several demonstrations featuring rallycross machines from the 1960s, 70s, 80s and 90s to mark the sport’s 50th anniversary.
Lydden Hill will host round six of the British Rallycross Championship on August Bank Holiday Monday.