Baumanis makes strong start to Euro RX season in Hungary

Nyirad, Hungary  –  All results here from the FIA European Rallycross Championship Round 1 in Nyirad Hungary.

#YellowSquad and Latvian star Janis Baumanis made a strong start to the 2022 FIA European Rallycross Championship at Nyirad in Hungary and came within three laps of finishing on the podium.

The Hungarian event marked #YellowSquad’s maiden FIA Euro RX1 start and Baumanis’ returned to the series, while the Nyirad venue joined the schedule for the first time in almost a decade.

Racing on the circuit for the very first time, Baumanis learned quickly aboard the Peugeot 208 RX1, setting the fourth, third and then second-best times in the three qualifying Heats, to take third in the Ranking after the Heat stages.

Janis Baumanis

Baumanis then had one of the races of the weekend on track, battling Danish driver Ulrik Linnemann for the race victory in the semi-finals, where a well-executed joker lap strategy and a great single-lap performance to make the most of the joker call resulted in race victory, and a good starting position for the final.

On the opening lap of the final, Baumanis lost a position, but in one of the overtakes of the day, re-took third position. However, soon after, the 208 RX1 developed a minor technical issue and a loss of power meant the Latvian driver finished the race in fourth position.

The performance through the weekend leaves Baumanis fourth in the Euro RX1 standings, and the team looking forward to the following rounds of the season, at circuits where Baumanis has more recent race experience.

Janis Baumanis takes the lead in the start in Hungary

Janis Baumanis

 

Janis Baumanis – #YellowSquad Euro RX driver

“I’m very happy. We started from zero and step-by-step we managed to be on very similar lap times to Anton Marklund and Enzo Ide, who had driven here before.
For sure if there is a race next year here I would be able to push from the first practice, because I know all the small details and tricks you need to know here – that is so important.

I had a very nice semi-final battle with Ulrik Linnemann. I managed to overtake him thanks to the joker strategy. It was quite hot in the car, but it was pure fun. I made one mistake at the joker merge, I was a bit too quick and had to go full throttle and pull the handbrake but it was a good show for the TV at least.

In the final something happened and was not able to fight anymore, but the feeling and speed was good and we managed everything very well I think. The spectators loved it this weekend, thanks to all of my fans who came here and to all of the people at home. I really enjoyed the race in Hungary.”

 

 

Kenneth Hansen KENNETH HANSEN – #YellowSquad Spotter

“It was a progressing weekend. Janis hadn’t been here before and it was the first race in this car, so we tried to help him cooperate with the car through the weekend and to help the car fit to his style.

It’s a challenging circuit when you haven’t driven it before, you need to have a lot of trust in the grip. Through the weekend we saw the confidence growing, Janis delivered very fast lap times in the later stages, so we are pleased.

It’s disappointing that he lost at least one place in the final, but it was anyway a good weekend. He had trust in the end in the car here and that is good for the coming races where it will be a different story now he has one race in the car under his belt and we go to tracks he knows.”

 

Janis Baumanis at his first are with YellowSquad

Janis Baumans in Hungary for EuroRX round 1 2022

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