WRX pits petrol against electric tech in 'Battle Royale' for 2024

“You don’t know who will be quickest – it’s very exciting.”

“We really tried our best to have the full electric series, but the market has changed,” adds Kevin. “I think we were looking good, but the fire was too big of a setback. We have to move forward, and eight electric cars for a top championship simply wasn’t good enough – and we have to look beyond to the future as well.

“Things are very different now, and we have to appreciate what’s around us: there’s now this big push for sustainable fuel, and companies are looking at hydrogen too. By allowing different technologies, we tick a box for the fans with the sound of petrol cars – everyone loves the history of the sport – and listen to companies who want to showcase sustainability and do it in rallycross.

“It’s right allowing different technologies and focusing on sustainability, not just electrification – because as a world we need more solutions. As a sport, our goal is to extract maximum performance from any technology and really show off its power.”

However, though the championship calendar has been set for July 6 at Höljes in Sweden, a solution to battery supplier Kreisel’s safety issues have yet to be announced.

Timmy asserts though that he’ll have no qualms come the opening round.

“I wouldn’t feel at all a problem with jumping into an electric car,” he insists. “If anything we’ll be learning from that, and it will be more safe.

“If it didn’t happen in our category, it was going to happen at some point somewhere, wasn’t it?”

“For sure the fire was unfortunate,” says Kevin. “You see Formula E having a fire but they almost ‘got away with it’ much easier than we did, as we were the first first one to have it.”

Part of the WRX’s “Battle of the Technologies” announcement from series CEO Arne Dirks was also telling in its wording:

“We have all seen and enjoyed the electrifying power and potential of RX1e over the past two years, and we have also witnessed a lot of passion for combustion-engined cars in Euro RX,” he said.

That “passion” has been channeled through loud grumbles by diehard rallycross fans – perhaps heard over the whine of the electric battery cars – that they wanted the old ear-splitting supercars back.

It could represent a new shift for both the motor sport and road cars. With the WRC considering ditching hybrids, 20-time rally winner Thierry Neuville recently told Motor Sport “in the future racing will stand for entertainment, not technological development.”

In the non-sporting world, Aston Martin yesterday announced that it would delay its first electric car until 2027, because customer demand simply isn’t there, and carry on making V12s in the meantime.

While rallycross is largely far-removed from the airs and graces of a British sports car brand, there are similarities to be drawn.

WRX has forged ahead with an electric series which doesn’t appear to have done anything for its popularity, led to a drop in entries, and now it’s gone into reverse slightly – with sustainable fuel.

It all suggests suggests ICE cars aren’t as dead as could have been imagined – the power of the people has spoken.

“I think we listened to the fans in doing this,” says Timmy. “And I hope that this will make them happy again, want to come to see the race again.

“There’s a lot of negativity, and I’m a bit disappointed in the rallycross fans to be honest. It’s so focused on [the fact that] they don’t like electric powertrains but, actually, the cars are incredibly fast.

“I do understand the point that it was entertaining with the sound though, and now we’ll get that back.

“If you remember a good race from the past, it’s the battle that you think about – but the sound is part of the experience in a weekend.

“The fans are who we drive for at the end of the day, we drive for the people who watch it and that’s it. If no one wants to see it then we don’t have a place in this world.”

At the same time Timmy recognises the importance of keeping manufacturers and sponsors happy through electrification – it’s a juggling act, but says “rallycross is the perfect series for this.”

In the bigger picture, the emphasis is about getting WRX back to full strength. The ever-positive Hansens don’t doubt it.

“I’m the biggest fan of rallycross,” says Timmy. “I live through this sport. I love this sport.

“I think it’s perfect for the social media era: short races, it’s easy to take in. We listened to the fans – I hope we’ll make them happy.”