Benyó has impressed ever since joining the Euro
RX1 grid at Nyirád last year when, as a relative unknown on the international
scene, he progressed to the final on his debut in a field full of champions. Despite
showcasing a scintillating turn-of-speed on more than one occasion, however –
twice placing inside the top four in the intermediate standings in 2023 – the
rostrum kept frustratingly eluding him. Not anymore.
In the 2024 curtain-raising contest at Höljes
in Sweden, the Korda Racing ace achieved two race wins and two runner-up results
in the heats – leaving him a promising fourth in the Ranking – only for ill-fortune
to once more curtail his challenge as he found himself spun around at the start
of the semi-final.
At Nyirád, a similar story looked to be playing
out, but this time it had a happier ending. A troubled run through the heats –
marred by sluggish launches and a coming-together with the barriers –
restricted Benyó to eighth in the intermediate classification, but a brighter getaway
in his semi-final elevated him immediately to second, where he would remain to
the chequered flag to book a berth in the all-important final.
From there, a first lap joker enabled the
23-year-old Budapest native to leapfrog Mika Liimatainen, before he survived
contact with countryman Tamás Kárai on the last lap to cross the finish line in
third – at which point, the emotions overflowed...
“To reach the podium at my home track in front
of so many supporters was amazing and really meant the world to me,” Benyó
reflected. “The fans gave me so much energy over the weekend and I could really
feel their support when I was inside the car, although I did my best to stay calm
and focus on the job in-hand.
“It was another rollercoaster of a weekend, and
the key moment, I think, was the start in the semi-final. I came out of Turn
One in second place and had the speed to fight for the win, but I didn’t want
to take any risks. I told myself that second was good enough as the main goal
was to reach the final, because as we all know, in rallycross, anything can
happen then.
“I feel sorry for what happened to [Tamás] Kárai
on the last lap, but it was just a racing incident and finishing on the podium
has given all of us at Korda Racing such a boost. I’m really happy I could give
that to the team. We are quite a big team in Hungary but we are a small team
with a small budget at European level, so just being here is a big deal for us.
To reach the podium and be quick enough to race at the front is sensational.
“I think we’ve found our place in this
championship. I’m more confident in the car now and I know the tracks and my
rivals better. The top guys in Euro RX1 are really, really fast, but when everything
goes to plan, we’ve shown we can match them. I think I’ve proved my speed; all
we’ve been missing is the luck.”
Vowing to ‘keep working hard to develop the
car, develop myself as a driver and develop the team’, the reigning ‘Rookie of
the Year’ will enter the second half of the campaign sitting fourth in the
title table, as he targets greater consistency and ‘bigger goals’.
“I like both Mettet and Montalegre,” Benyó
commented. “If we can reach the final again there, I will be happy and I believe
we can do that. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season – we’re ready to
give it our all.”
Greece
Poland
Portugal