Star performers to be rewarded with free Cooper Tires in 2022

In a new initiative, the FIA World Rallycross Championship’s top performers will be rewarded with a free set of Cooper Tires after each event in 2022, in recognition of outstanding displays of speed, skill and sportsmanship.

The recipients of the ‘Racer of the Day’ and ‘Racer of the Weekend’ awards – one per category per round – will be chosen by a committee comprised of personnel from championship partner Cooper Tire Europe, Rallycross Promoter and the local event organiser, taking into account a number of different factors and circumstances.

“We’re delighted to be extending our agreement to present the best-performing drivers with a set of Cooper Tires, and as World RX enters an exciting new era this year, we’ve decided in conjunction with the promoter to have a little shake-up of our own,” explained James Weekley, General Manager - Motorsport at Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe Ltd.

“The aim moving forward is to reward not only out-and-out raw speed but also other factors such as technical prowess, spectacular overtaking manoeuvres, fightbacks from adversity or perhaps ‘send of the weekend’. The winners from Nyirád and Höljes bear testament to this new approach, and we look forward to selecting the remaining recipients from what we have absolutely no doubt will be a fantastic season of rallycross action – beginning right here in Hell!”

Ulrik Linnemann and Jan Černý were selected as the winners from the European Championship curtain-raiser at Nyirád – the Dane battling back from 18^th overnight at the end of a luckless opening day to finish on the podium in Euro RX1, and the Czech ace impressively taking the fight to and very nearly beating the hitherto all-conquering Audis in Euro RX3, as he reached the rostrum for the first time behind the wheel of his little Škoda Citigo.

At Höljes, local hero Linus Östlund was recognised for an eye-catching Euro RX1 debut up against much more experienced opposition, while Marius Solberg Hansen produced a superb display as he outperformed the Euro RX3 field to claim his maiden victory in the class. The RX2e prize was awarded to Belgian newcomer Viktor Vranckx, who lived up to his pre-season billing with a sensational drive to beat his Scandinavian adversaries in their ‘backyard’.

The new selection process replaces the previous criteria, whereby the tyres were presented to the driver who posted fastest lap in the final.