Hungary’s ‘Red Cauldron’ shaping up for more red-hot action

Last year, Nyirád Racing Center returned to the FIA European Rallycross Championship schedule for the first time in almost a decade – delivering a spectacular weekend of sideways spills ‘n’ thrills. In just a few weeks’ time, the legendary ‘Red Cauldron’ will roar again…

Euro RX of Hungary will get the 2023 Euro RX1 and Euro RX3 campaigns underway on 29/30 April, with a tantalising battle in prospect. The full entry list for both categories is due to be published on Thursday (6 April), with a number of names having already been announced.

Amongst those confirmed for Euro RX1 are plucky Norwegian privateer Sivert Svardal – a finalist at Nyirád last season – giant-killing Dane Ulrik Linnemann, Hungary’s own Lászlo Kiss and father and son Ollie and Patrick O’Donovan, the latter set to take to the track in an ex-World Championship Hansen Motorsport Peugeot 208.

In Euro RX3, multiple champions Volland Racing are back with a four-strong line-up – for best-placed returnee Damian Litwinowicz, Portugal’s João Ribeiro, young gun Nils Volland and highly-rated Norwegian Espen Isaksætre – while servicing a fifth Audi A1 for home hero Zsolt Szíjj ‘Jolly’. Talented teenager Jens Hvaal, meanwhile – a driver who starred on his international debut at the Nürburgring last November – joins the fray for a full-season assault.

Last year in Hungary, Anton Marklund (Euro RX1) and Kobe Pauwels (Euro RX3) started as they meant to go on as both triumphed in the opening round of the campaign on their way to clinching the coveted crown.

While Marklund’s Nyirád success was a commanding one – topping every session to see off the challenge of closest rival Enzo Ide – Pauwels had to dig deep to overcome an inspired Jan Černý, who looked set for victory in the final until finding himself forced to concede almost within sight of the chequered flag.

Linnemann produced arguably the performance of the weekend to recover from 18^th in Saturday’s overnight standings to ascend the bottom step of the podium in Euro RX1, benefitting along the way from engine issues for Latvian star Jānis Baumanis.

More edge-of-the-seat entertainment is surely in prospect at the end of this month, with further driver announcements to come before the unveiling of the full entry list. Watch this space...

For more information or to purchase tickets, click here (Hungarian) or here (English).