Wed 23 Oct 2024

European Champion O’Donovan confirms World RX return in Türkiye

Recently-crowned FIA European Rallycross Champion Patrick O’Donovan will rejoin the FIA World Rallycross Championship grid in Istanbul next month (9-10 November) – with more silverware in his sights.

O’Donovan has enjoyed quite the season in 2024. In addition to lifting the Euro RX1 laurels – courtesy of a commanding campaign that yielded three victories out of four behind the wheel of his Team RX Racing-run Peugeot 208 WRX – the rising young star successfully defended his British Rallycross Championship title for the second consecutive year.


Indeed, sealing the deal on the domestic scene at Pembrey earlier this month – with an extraordinary seventh triumph from eight starts – opened up the opportunity for O’Donovan to skip the final event at Lydden Hill in favour of travelling to Türkiye.


Around Istanbul Park Circuit – a track returning to the World RX calendar following an absence of almost a decade – the 20-year-old Brit will be bidding to confirm the promise he displayed not only on the European stage this season, but also on his world championship bow in Hong Kong just under 12 months ago, when he reached the rostrum with a superb third-place finish.

“I have been in the paddock and watching the World Rallycross Championship since I was ten-years-old,” O’Donovan commented. “Last year, it was amazing to make my debut in Hong Kong and to achieve a dream by finishing on the podium, but that was in a rented ZEROID X1. To step up with our own team, after such a brilliant season, is really special.


“We have been keeping an eye on our pace in Euro RX compared to the World RX races, and it’s going to be interesting, that’s for sure. The level is high in World RX and we go to Türkiye knowing this is a big challenge for us, but I can’t lie – every time I get in a car, I want to win, and it will be the same in Istanbul. I want the best results possible.


“Türkiye is a one-off at the moment and we’re still working on plans for the future. We just want to do our best next weekend and see what the upcoming few months bring.”

Japan
Starts: Thursday, November 21, 2024 at 12:00:00 AM
Poland
Starts: Friday, October 11, 2024 at 9:30:00 AM
Turkey
Starts: Saturday, November 9, 2024 at 9:00:00 AM