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Swedish talent Isak Sjökvist and the #YellowSquad team entered the FIA RX2e series finale at the legendary Estering in a three-way fight for the all-electric FIA World Rallycross Championship support category title, and with a brilliant performance came within meters of claiming the crown.

Third in the series standings entering the event at the Buxtehude circuit, Sjökvist delivered a strong performance throughout the weekend, consistently inside the top three positions in the heats despite never even having tested at Estering, to qualify second in the Ranking classification after four heats, crucially ahead of the championship leader.

Victory in the semi-finals ahead of two World RX regulars set Sjökvist up for a title show-down in the final, but having made a good start, a brave outside manoeuvre in the infamous first corner didn’t pay off and Sjökvist ran third throughout the race. Matching the pace of the leading pair from start to finish, Sjökvist just missed out on the championship title, but took home the silver medal.

In the sister #YellowSquad machine, Australian rally and Extreme E star Molly Taylor returned to RX2e for a second event in a row supported by E.ON and Veloce, and once again improved with every outing on track. However, contact from other cars meant she was forced into the wall in Heat 3, putting her out of the race altogether, and again in the semi-finals, where she was removed from contention for qualifying for the final and her results didn’t reflect her performance.

Sjökvist said: “I am quite devastated to lose the championship but we are all fighting to become the best drivers we can and I tried to pull out everything I had this weekend and enjoy every second. It felt great throughout the whole weekend, the competitiveness is so, so high in RX2e, and it’s always the small margins that make a big difference.

“In the semi-final I actually drove away from Niclas Grönholm (World RX driver) and tried to get the best spot possible for the final, but Tommi Hallman did a great job on the inside of the grid in the final. I tried going around the outside but it didn’t come off. Nils (Andersson) deserves the championship. It’s been a pleasure to race him this year but I’m hungry for more and they’d better be prepared because I’m coming back to get them.”

Taylor said: “It’s been both a really positive and also a frustrating weekend. Overall we’ve made great progress in terms of pace, so I’m really happy to have been able to fight on that side. In terms of the races, today has been a bit of carnage, being turned into the wall twice, so its frustrating to miss some track time and not be able to convert the speed I know we have. But this programme has been all about learning and I can safely say I’ve done a lot of that!

“I’m really grateful to E.ON, Veloce, #YellowSquad, Kevin (Hansen) and Isak for making this possible. Rallycross is such a different world, so it’s been cool to get an insight into what it’s all about and I hope this is just the beginning of my time here.”

Färén added: “We came here with a single goal for Isak and he drove very well. Unfortunately it only just wasn’t enough to take the championship title. Of course, we are disappointed not to win, but we can be proud of our performance this weekend. We did what we could and we drove a fair race.

“Thanks to a positive test in Sweden between Belgium and Germany, our drivers came here with a positive mindset and really had good performances here.

“Molly is improving all the time in this new environment, and Isak was a different driver to Belgium. He should be proud of his weekend. I hope we can continue to work with both Molly and Isak in the future.”

Swedish ace Isak Sjökvist remains in contention for the FIA RX2e Championship title following an extremely challenging penultimate round of the series at Mettet in Belgium.

International rallycross returned to the Wallonia-based venue for the first time since 2018 last weekend, where drivers from the FIA World Rallycross Championship who were unable to compete in the top category also made guest appearances in the RX2e division.

RX2e title-contender Sjökvist, from Sweden, and latest #YellowSquad signing Molly Taylor, from Australia, faced some of the most challenging track conditions witnessed in any World RX event in years, with the wet weather, loose-surface sections, and large kerbs providing the biggest challenges.

Working hard as a team to progress every time on track, both drivers increased their pace and performances throughout the weekend and challenged for the lead of Qualifying races on track, but unfortunately mitigating circumstances meant neither driver made it through the Semi-Final stages into the Final.

Sjökvist now lies third in the championship standings, just five points off the lead with one round remaining and 23 points up for grabs. #YellowSquad is now fully focused on the final round at Estering, Germany, next weekend (August 19-20).

Isak Sjökvist said: “The result was not what I expected from the weekend. I’m feeling a bit empty right now as I didn’t get the result I was aiming for, but I am only five points behind the lead in the championship and there is still a load of points to gain.

“I will work really hard in the days between now and the next race in Germany to be more prepared than ever to do the best I can. I just need to drive with passion and focus on what we need to do. Nevertheless it was an amazing experience to drive against the World RX drivers this weekend and to see what is possible with these cars. There are always positives you can take from a race. I learnt from the World RX drivers this weekend and that will help me for the upcoming challenge at the final round in Germany. We just need to go flat out.”

Molly Taylor said: “The track at Mettet has such mixed surfaces so there was a lot for me to manage while figuring out the driving style and the head-to-head racing involved in rallycross. I feel I was progressing in every session which is all I can really ask for in my first rallycross experience.

“The overall result represents mixed fortunes but I enjoyed leading some laps and learning how to make the most of the action around me. I have come away with heaps of experience. I’m part of a great team, benefitting from the guidance of fantastic drivers and engineers, and I’m really grateful to E.ON, #YellowSquad and Veloce for this opportunity.”

Eric Färén said: “It wasn’t the easiest weekend for us. Isak spent a lot of time battling in traffic and it wasn’t easy for him to find the pace he needed, but he made some big steps forward on Sunday, and I think he learned a lot.

“It was brilliant to have Molly in the team for the first time. She made progress every time she went on track in a really difficult weekend for even the most experienced drivers because of the conditions. We are now fully focused on the final round with both drivers, where we are targeting nothing but finishing the season on a high.”

Former Extreme E Champion and Australian Rally title-winner Molly Taylor has signed with #YellowSquad to compete in the remaining rounds of the FIA RX2e series in Belgium and Germany.

Taylor claimed the Australian Rally Championship title in 2016, making history as not only the first female to claim the crown, but then as the youngest ever champion. She later claimed the inaugural Extreme E Championship title in 2021. Today, she is team-mate to #YellowSquad founder Kevin Hansen in the Veloce Racing Extreme E outfit.

Together, Hansen and Taylor have claimed a pair of victories so far in Season 3 of Extreme E, at the season-opening Desert X Prix (Saudi Arabia) and the Hydro X Prix (Scotland), and are in the thick of the title fight.

Taylor joins #YellowSquad for her rallycross debut this weekend at Mettet in Belgium (August 5-6), supported by Veloce and E.ON. Competing in a field stacked full of talented drivers racing the single-specification RX2e machine, Taylor’s car is adorned with a striking new livery, as she lines up alongside title-contender Isak Sjökvist in the team.

She will also compete in the final round of the campaign at Estering, Germany (August 19-20).

Molly Taylor said: “I’m really excited to join RX2e for these two events. It’s an incredible opportunity and I’m very grateful to E.ON and Veloce for making this possible.

“Rallycross is something completely new to me, so I’m looking forward to taking on this challenge, learning and developing as quickly as possible. Running with #YellowSquad I know I have the right people around me and I can’t wait to get started.”

Eric Färén said: “Molly is a talented driver who has many times proved her credentials in rallying and more recently Extreme E, so it will be really interesting for us to work with her as she transitions into a different discipline.

“The Belgian and German circuits are both quite different in characteristics so it will certainly help with her learning in rallycross and RX2e, which as we know is a very competitive field. Hardly any of the RX2e drivers have good experience of racing at either circuit, so that should hopefully play to our advantage and we will work hard to help Molly get up to speed as fast as possible.”

#YellowSquad driver Isak Sjökvist entered the third round of the FIA RX2e series at Lydden Hill, UK, leading the standings and left the event just one point behind the series leader, but the points tally far from told the whole story.

Racing at the birthplace of rallycross, the two-car #YellowSquad team worked to build pace through the opening day of the event, Sjökvist setting the fourth best time in torrential conditions on Saturday afternoon in Heat 2.

Fifth and third in the remaining heats on Sunday displayed an improvement in pace, but unfortunate first corner contact in the semi-final broke the car’s rear suspension, putting Sjökvist out of final contention.

In the sister RX2e machine, Catie Munnings also improved her pace throughout the qualifying stages. Thanks to a round-the-outside move at the opening corner, Munnings ran third for most of her semi-final race, holding a margin good enough to progress to the final for the first time in 2023.

However, not for the first time this season, she was hit by bad luck, as a puncture while entering the compulsory joker lap section ended her chances of making the final.

Sjökvist is now third in the standings, one point off the lead, while Munnings holds ninth position. The fourth round of RX2e will take place at Mettet in Belgium on August 5-6.

Isak Sjökvist said: “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we expected this weekend. We tried our best, we had good pace and we put everything into it but it was not to be. The position in the championship is still strong despite the disappointment of what we must call a racing incident in the semi-final, so there is still everything to play for. We need to get our horns out in the next races.”

Catie Munnings said: “We were so close today. We were running P3 in the semi-final from P4 on the grid so I’d had to go around the outside. We were building a gap and we had the margin to take the joker and get out in front to make it into the final, but entering the joker I got a puncture on the front-left so there was nothing I could do. It’s so disappointing not to be in my first final in RX2e at my home event, but taking the positives from the weekend we had some great pace and hopefully we will be back for more.”

Eric Färén said: “We started the weekend a bit on the back foot, but we worked hard to get back on pace and things were looking very good today, until bad luck in the semi-finals for both drivers.

“For Isak, some unlucky contact in the first corner broke the suspension and the race was over. Catie had a really great run in the semi-final and was again clearly on her way to a place in the final, when a sudden puncture ended the day. Once again, thanks to the whole team who did a great job. We keep our heads high and take many positives with us to the next races!”

British driver Catie Munnings will continue her 2023 campaign in the FIA RX2e series, the official all-electric support category to the FIA World Rallycross Championship, this weekend at Lydden Hill.

Having raced with #YellowSquad in the opening two rounds of the season in Norway and Sweden, Munnings has secured a deal to race in her home round of the campaign. Driving alongside team-mate Isak Sjökvist in the season so far, Munnings has improved with every outing, winning heat races in both Norway and Sweden, and impressing with a series of fast starts.

In the ultra-competitive field of single-specification RX2e machinery, having only just missed out on a final appearance in the opening two rounds, mainly due to circumstances outside her control in the semi-final stages, Munnings will enter her home round targeting at least a final start, on the back of scoring a sixth Extreme E career podium in Sardinia recently.

The FIA World Rallycross Championship package returns to Lydden Hill for the first time since 2017 this weekend, the circuit where rallycross was created in 1967. The circuit has evolved over the years, most recently with a new-look wider gravel opening corner and jump immediately afterwards. Munnings has raced at the venue previously, in a production-based Suzuki Swift, but like most of the field in RX2e, not on the recently revised layout.

Munnings currently lies ninth in the 2023 RX2e standings, while team-mate Sjökvist leads the points’ table.

Catie Munnings said: “I’m very happy to have made it happen to get to Lydden Hill for round three of RX2e. It’s been very last minute and I’m very grateful to everyone that has been involved in putting this together. Again #YellowSquad has been fantastic and I’m really excited to continue our story together.

“As Kenneth Hansen would say, it’s important to keep the ball rolling. It’s important for me as a driver to get some consistent seat time in a car that I know and in a championship and discipline I’m still learning. Rallycross is still really new to me but I’m enjoying every moment and the progress we’re making is great.

“I’m excited to enter my home race. It’s a big one for me to compete at and hopefully we can have a really great weekend there in front of the home crowd.”

Eric Färén said: “We are all delighted that Catie will continue with us for the Lydden Hill event. Not only has she done a really good job so far in Norway and Sweden, but I know very well from my own experience that every driver wants to compete in their home round of the World Championship.

“It will be a special one for Catie I’m sure, but like with all drivers once she is in race mode the target will be the same as any other race weekend. She and Isak have been working really well together this season. We didn’t feel things fell our way in Sweden last time out, but we are working as hard as possible to help both drivers get the best result they can as we return to a venue that everybody loves.”

Racing in the home round of the FIA RX2e series for both the team and himself, #YellowSquad driver Isak Sjökvist claimed a second successive podium to maintain his points lead.

It was a challenging weekend for the entire single-specification field at one of the discipline’s halo events, the ‘Magic Weekend’ at Höljes, regarded as one of the jewels in the crown of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

Second fastest in Heat 1, Sjökvist thereafter battled in traffic, received contact from other cars, and struggled to find clear air. Regardless, he qualified fourth in the Ranking stages, despite heavy rain changing the track conditions significantly for Sunday’s running.

Second in semi-final two elevated Sjökvist to the final, and in a hectic encounter, in which he lay fifth at one stage and was in the thick of the action, the Swede survived final-lap drama to finish third, and maintain the same gap at the head of the points’ table that he had coming into the event.

In the sister RX2e machine from #YellowSquad, Catie Munnings made her second career start at Höljes, and like team-mate Sjökvist spent much of her weekend starting on the outside of the grid. She impressed with a stunning around-the-outside move to climb the order during those qualifying races and consistently improved throughout the weekend in the most difficult conditions, but just missed out on a place in the final.

The third round of RX2e will take place as part of the British FIA World Rallycross Championship event at Lydden Hill on July 22-23.

Isak Sjökvist said: “I had a bit of bad luck in the qualifying heats, then managed to get a P2 in the semi-finals and in the final it was mud everywhere and a bit of chaos. I had a really great run in the final and got a bit held up by other drivers on track. We were P5 for a few moments and there was some contact, but we made it to the podium. I’m satisfied with the result, it’s the best result we could get from this weekend I think. I struggled a bit with my self-confidence but we go to the next race at Lydden Hill with two podiums in our pocket already this season.”

Catie Munnings said: “I had a really challenging weekend at Höljes. We had a full dry, hot tarmac day on Saturday, then Sunday was full wet, but I really enjoyed the experience and there was a lot of good racing through the heats. I was happy to take another heat race win but unfortunately, we missed out on the final. When we took the joker we had the gap to be in the top three, but got stuck in some traffic and couldn’t get through. I ended up P5 after a spin, so it wasn’t the best semi-final but I’m very happy to have experienced such a technical track in the wet and the dry.”

Eric Färén said: It was a tricky weekend with different conditions over the two days. We found ourselves on the outside of the grid a lot, but both drivers made good starts generally and were sometimes able to get ahead, but also got forced wide into the gravel on other occasions. Catie made an amazing move around the outside, and both drivers did really well in every condition. Our pace was good, Isak battled his way through a difficult second day to get onto the podium and maintain the same advantage in the points he had coming here, which will be important in the coming races. I’m proud of our drivers and the whole team, it is a pleasure to work with these great people.

Swedish sensation Isak Sjökvist drove to an empathic victory in the opening round of FIA RX2e at Hell in Norway with #YellowSquad to claim an early championship lead.

Racing in #YellowSquad’s first-ever all-electric RX2e event, Sjökvist was fastest in the opening two Heats of the Norwegian encounter, supporting the FIA World Rallycross Championship, and only lost ground following first corner contact from other cars in Heat 3.

Keeping his cool, the 21-year-old former kart racer took top position in the Ranking stages, then won his Semi-Final from the front, before managing the Final while under pressure throughout to secure a second career RX2e win, and maximum points to hold the championship lead.

Catie Munnings also delivered a strong opening-round performance in the sister #YellowSquad machine, despite a relative lack of rallycross experience compared to many of her rivals.

A first-ever RX2e race win in Heat 3 and third overall time was a strong finish to Saturday’s proceedings and Munnings qualified sixth in the Ranking, in the strong field. However, while showing fast pace in the Semi-Finals to battle for a place in the Final, contact from another car at the joker merge cost Munnings time, putting her out of contention.

The second round of RX2e will take place as part of the Swedish FIA World Rallycross Championship event at Höljes in two weeks (July 1-2).

Isak Sjökvist:

This weekend exceeded our expectations, and it feels really great to pull off such a result so early in the season. There’s still a long way to go. We need to be humble and there is a lot of work to do, but this is a great start to our time together and I’m sure this will help us moving forwards. In the Final the track conditions were very challenging so I took it cautiously and managed the lead. For sure I felt pressure from behind but I kept things together and took the win. The season is long, there are a lot of young talents in this championship, and it is going to be tough, but this weekend has been very good.

Catie Munnings:

I haven’t got much tarmac experience and this weekend was very much like circuit racing, until the gravel started to break up, so it’s been a fantastic opportunity for me to learn, especially from Isak who has so many years in karting. I’ve really enjoyed working with #YellowSquad and I’m so pleased for the whole team with Isak’s win. Overall I’m very happy with the steps I made through the weekend. The Heat win on Saturday felt great, but it was a shame to get taken out of the Semi-Final and there was nothing I could do from there. The damage was done, we had good pace and I was catching P3 in front which would have put me into the Final but we ran out of laps. On the whole it’s been really good and I’m looking forward to the next race in Holjes.

Eric Färén:

What a weekend! To win our first-ever RX2e event is fantastic and represents a huge effort from the whole team, so the first thing I must do is say thank you to them all. Isak delivered a stunning performance, not just for winning as much as he did, and driving so well in the Final, but for managing the car, and the first corners in the way he did. It was the perfect start to the year. For Catie, her pace was very good and had things gone differently in the Semi-Final she would for sure have been in the Final and challenging for the podium, so we look forward to the next race with her.

Swedish rallycross driver development team #YellowSquad has revealed a pair of stunning new liveries as it gears up for the opening round of the FIA RX2e series this weekend, supporting the Norwegian round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship at Hell (June 17-18).

RX2e event-winner Isak Sjökvist and Extreme E race-winner Catie Munnings will line up for the rallycross title-winning #YellowSquad team as it embarks on its maiden electric programme, falling in line with parent company Hansen Motorsport’s target of net zero emissions by 2040.

The team’s single-specification, four-wheel-drive, 270kW machines will be easily distinguishable on track in 2023, adorned in #YellowSquad’s signature strong and fun yellow livery, which has been given an aggressive twist for the new season.

The yellow base colour has been synonymous with successful programmes for the team in Crosscar, RallyX Nordic, RX2 and NRX NEXT previously and continues for 2023, with subtle differences indicating the two drivers’ cars.

21-year-old Sjökvist’s machine has a white front panel on the nose to help distinguish the Swedish title-contenders car from the front, which will also use white wheels. For 25-year-old Munnings, her #YellowSquad RX2e car has a black front panel, accompanied by black wheels, as the British driver embarks on her second-ever RX2e event this weekend.

Both drivers joined the team for a testing and training programme in Sweden last week in preparation for the season-opener in Norway, before the squad heads for its home round of the series at Höljes just two weeks later.

Isak Sjökvist, #YellowSquad RX2e Driver: “From my side it was a really great testing. It was so useful and we gathered a wealth of knowledge for how the car is working. We can take those tools into this season, which is an opportunity I’m really excited about.

“When I looked at the car for the first time I was impressed and I think we’re really going to stand out on track. It’s the first race of the season for us, so I’m excited for the challenge and will be driving with all my heart and soul.”

Catie Munnings, #YellowSquad RX2e Driver: “Testing with #YellowSquad for the first time last week was really good as I started to work closely with Eric, Isak, Kevin and Timmy (Hansen). It was really useful to have Kevin and Timmy’s experience of electric rallycross cars, and it was a great couple of days. Going through setup options like we did was not the sort of thing I’d done before with this car, so that was great looking ahead to Norway. I’m really looking to lean on the team’s experience this weekend, and targeting a great result. The liveries look amazing, it’s been a huge effort by the team to get ready for the season, and I can’t to get racing – the team definitely looks the part!”

Eric Faren, #YellowSquad Team Manager: “The cars look fantastic. Of course, you always go through the process with the designers and know how the cars are going to look, but until the livery is applied to the cars for real, you never know 100% how the finished product is going to be. I have to say, we’re delighted with how they have turned out, and from seeing the cars on track in testing too, they look even better at full speed. Our pre-event test in Sweden went well, I’m pleased with how both drivers got on, and importantly they worked together well. We have a good feeling in the team heading to Hell!”

British star Catie Munnings will compete in the FIA RX2e series that supports the FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2023, having signed for Swedish team #YellowSquad.

Munnings is no stranger to electric motor sport. An event-winner in Extreme E, she made her RX2e debut last season at Holjes in Sweden, and will return to the Swedish venue this year, following her maiden appearance with #YellowSquad in the opening round of the campaign at Hell in Norway later this month (June 17-18).

A regular front-runner in Extreme E alongside teammate Timmy Hansen, 25-year-old Munnings’ signing for the #YellowSquad team that sits within the wider Hansen Motorsport structure is significant.

As part of arguably the most successful team in rallycross history, Susann Hansen became the first and so-far only female to win a European Rallycross title when she secured the 1400 Cup crown in 1994.

Continuing that legacy, Munnings will become the first female to drive within the wider Hansen Motorsport family in a decade, when she lines up in the single-specification, 270kW, four-wheel-drive all-electric RX2e machine in Hell next week.

Munnings, who reacclimatised herself with an RX2e machine during an ice racing event in Andorra over the winter, and a private test at the Circuit de Calafat in Spain recently, will join full-time #YellowSquad driver Isak Sjökvist in the team for the events she contests.

The FIA RX2e series will support the FIA World Rallycross Championship for five rounds in 2023, in Norway, Sweden, UK, Belgium and Germany, running from June to August.

Catie Munnings, #YellowSquad RX2e Driver:

“I have a very unique position working with Timmy Hansen, who’s been my team mate in Extreme E for three years now, and it seems like the natural progression to continue working with the wider Hansen team outside of that. It has been a big aim for mine for some time to race in a major rallycross series. #YellowSquad has a wealth of knowledge, and I think this programme is the most effective way for me to develop my skills, while also having a good chance of challenging for some decent results. I’m looking forward to building on the relationship I have with the family and team. My mission is always to do as well as possible and to keep developing my side-by-side race craft. I really enjoyed the test in Calafat recently, it always impresses me how fast the car feels when you accelerate for the first time on tarmac, and I’m looking forward to having a lot of fun with it this year.”

Eric Faren, #YellowSquad Team Manager:

“We’re delighted to have Catie join #YellowSquad for at least the first two rounds of RX2e. Having two drivers in the team is always mutually beneficial, so we can all work together to get the most out of the weekend. Although Norway will be new to Catie we’ve had good success at that circuit in recent years and will work to get her up to speed as quickly as possible, while she has already raced in Holjes which will really help. It’s also great that Catie has such a strong relationship with the wider team, we can’t wait to take on this competitive field in Norway and see where it can take us.”