Isaksætre aiming high on Volland Racing bow

He already has three FIA European Rallycross Championship podium finishes to his credit, but Espen Isaksætre is targeting the top step in the 2023 curtain-raiser at Euro RX of Hungary this weekend (29-30 April), as he makes his debut with pace-setting outfit Volland Racing.

The match-up is an intriguing one. While many of the driver and car combinations are known quantities, the partnership between Isaksætre – who has spent much of his career performing minor miracles on a small budget with his family-run team – and multiple champions Volland Racing has the potential to upset the applecart in Euro RX3. And the Norwegian is eager to get going.

“It’s a big difference from what we have done before, and it’s really exciting,” Isaksætre acknowledged on the eve of the Nyirád season-opener. “The Audi A1 is amazing – the balance of the car is really, really good and the engine is strong at lower revs, and testing went very well.

“It’s great to be in a multi-car team for the first time, and we are all working together to try to help each other to be as fast as possible. Hopefully we can score some good results.”

Isaksætre has already scored a number of good results since making his European Championship debut on home soil in Hell in 2014, impressively reaching the rostrum first time out. He placed seventh overall in his only full campaign to-date in 2018, but is hopeful of significantly improving upon that over the coming months.

“There are obviously a lot of good drivers in Euro RX3 this season, so we will need to be focussed and sharp every single time we take to the track, but I’m looking forward to the fight,” asserted the 28-year-old Flisa native. “It would be fantastic to finish inside the top three, but ultimately, of course, the goal is to win.”