Rising star O’Donovan to step up to World RX with Hansens in Hong Kong

Patrick O’Donovan will get his big break in the FIA World Rallycross Championship in the Hong Kong season finale next month (11-12 November), as Hansen World RX Team expands to a three-car assault for the eagerly-anticipated double-header.

Since making his bow on the international stage in the FIA RX2e Championship in 2021 – going on to tally a brace of victories the following year – O’Donovan has increasingly established himself as one of the sport’s brightest rising stars.

The highly-rated teenager scorched to British Championship honours in his maiden campaign at Supercar level in 2022 – making history as the youngest driver ever to do so – and he remains firmly in contention to clinch a second consecutive crown in the domestic series following a superb showing at Dreux in France last weekend.

He simultaneously contested his first full season in the FIA European Rallycross Championship’s top tier Euro RX1 this year. Piloting a #YellowSquad-supported Peugeot 208 WRX, he triumphed at Höljes and claimed further podium finishes at Nyirád and the Estering en route to third in the overall standings, confidently and consistently taking the fight to rivals with considerably more experience.

Now, O’Donovan is preparing for arguably the biggest challenge in his burgeoning career to-date, as he gets set to take on the crème de la crème at the absolute pinnacle of the sport for the very first time.

“It will be a childhood dream come true for me to make my World RX debut, and even better to be doing so in a car that I know,” enthused the 19-year-old. “I’m extremely excited to see how my pace fares against some of the best rallycross drivers in the world, and to be working so closely with the Hansen Motorsport team. It’s also super-cool to be part of the first-ever World Rallycross inner-city event, especially in a venue like Hong Kong. I can’t wait!”

O’Donovan – who will partner regular drivers Timmy and Kevin Hansen in the three-car Hansen World RX Team line-up – has no shortage of prior running in the QEV Technologies-developed, electric ZEROID X1 that all competitors will race in the event from his two-season stint in RX2e. Team Principal Kenneth Hansen believes the Briton can be a contender from the outset.

“This is the first-time a #YellowSquad driver has stepped up to the World Championship, and it’s a fantastic opportunity for Patrick to be side-by-side with Timmy and Kevin in exactly the same vehicle,” the Swede remarked. “It will be interesting for us to run three cars in the top category in Hong Kong, and we’re really looking forward to that.

“It’s a new circuit there, which means the opportunities are equal in terms of track knowledge, and I think we can benefit more from running three cars than just two. It will be great to work with a talented, motivated young driver like Patrick, with whom we have already formed a relationship this year.”