Timo Scheider was pleased to sign off his most
successful season to-date in the FIA World Rallycross Championship with another
rostrum result in Hong Kong earlier this month – although the German reckoned
had things played out differently, he could have been standing on the highest
step.
Scheider was arguably World RX’s in-form driver
heading to Hong Kong, after racing to his breakthrough victory in Cape Town – a
result that catapulted him up the order in the championship classification.
The ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport star hit
the ground running again around the Central Harbourfront circuit – the first
city-centre track in the series’ history – as he lapped the best part of four
tenths of-a-second quicker than any of his rivals in free practice on the
Saturday morning, before placing a competitive fourth in qualifying practice.
Broken suspension from hitting the wall in heat
one halted his momentum, but Scheider showed good speed to chase 2019 world
champion Timmy Hansen to the chequered flag in heat two. He then climbed from
the back of the grid to finish second in the first of the semi-finals, comfortably
outpacing six-time title-winner Johan Kristoffersson in the process as he kept
the pressure on leader Kevin Hansen throughout.
There was, however, a subsequent sting in the
tail as the 45-year-old found himself penalised for first corner contact, demoting
him to the rear of the grid once more for the final. Undeterred, a bright start
around the outside elevated him immediately to fourth and he went on to
overhaul Ole Christian Veiby on the last lap to cement a third consecutive podium
finish, posting the race’s fastest lap along the way.
Scheider was similarly firmly in the mix in
morning warm-up the next day, but a disadvantageous starting position for heat
one would thereafter compromise his bid. Close duels with Patrick O’Donovan in
each of the opening two heats preceded a battle-scarred run in heat three as
the double DTM champion narrowly got the better of Saturday winner Kevin
Hansen. Sixth in the intermediate ranking, he ultimately missed out on another
final appearance by less
than half-a-second.
“First of all, I have to say, I really love racing
in city centres,” Scheider enthused. “Hong Kong is such a special and iconic city,
and I felt super-pumped to be there. I think generally, that’s the way to go
moving forward, to really take the sport to the fans. For me, this was the
season finale that World RX truly deserved.
“I enjoy the challenge of learning new tracks,
when everybody is starting from zero in a way and it’s a level playing field,
and I’ve always been strong in situations like that. We had great pace all
weekend and it was brilliant to finish on the podium on the Saturday. That was a
fantastic reward for the team for everybody’s hard work, but honestly, on pure
performance, I think we could have won.
“The car felt great and I was super-confident.
We had Johan [Kristoffersson] well under control in the semi-final and it was
super-frustrating to receive a penalty for something that was completely
unintentional. That relegated us to the back of the grid for the final and
while it was satisfying to convert it into a top three finish, I knew we could
have had more.
“We were quick again on the Sunday, but going
fifth-fastest in SuperPole put me in the worst possible position – up against
four really fast drivers in heat one and on the far side of the grid. That meant
we were on the back foot from the word ‘go’. I tried to throw it around the
outside at the start and even if it didn’t come off, I certainly gave it
everything I had.
“Overall, it was a good feeling to prove – to both
the paddock and to myself – what I’m capable of in the same car and same
conditions as everybody else. I think I showed in Cape Town and Hong Kong that when
the package is right, you need to count me in to fight for the win!”
Finland
Italy
Hungary