Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit will enter the upcoming French and Italian rounds of the 2015 FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy. Chicherit – a four-time World Champion in freeriding – will drive a MINI RX Supercar prepared by British-based outfit JRM Racing.
The two-event programme will mark Chicherit’s debut in World RX but the Monster Energy athlete has an impressive motorsport CV having competed in the FIA Junior World Rally Championship (JWRC) and various cross-country rallies including finishing fifth overall at the 2010 Dakar Rally.
“I’m super happy that JRM is giving me this opportunity to drive its MINI against guys like my fellow Monster Energy team-mates Petter Solberg and Liam Doran,” explained Chicherit, who also holds the record for being the first driver to complete an unassisted backflip in a car.
“I’ve been following World RX closely and I’m very impressed by its growth, today’s quality of driving, the atmosphere and the exciting circuits that are on the calendar. Racing at Loheac will be particularly special for me. I can’t wait to see my close friends, fans and the amazing French crowd. I hope I will be able to do them proud.”
Chicherit admits his World RX debut will be a steep learning curve but is relishing the opportunity to learn a new motorsport discipline and to take the wheel of the MINI RX Supercar that JRM is developing this season.
“JRM is a really progressive team that is fully committed to World RX so I hope we can have a couple of great race weekends” he added. “I’ll be there to learn as much as possible about the car and the racing, and if I can cause a bit of heat on the track at the same time – even better! The support I’ve had from around the world – and in particular from my home crowd – when I tackled the ‘Longest Jump’ and the ‘MINI backflip’ records – has been incredible and I hope they stay with me on this one. The pressure is on but I’ve never been one to back down from a challenge presented to me.”
JRM Racing Team Principal, James Rumsey, concluded: “Guerlain’s motorsport experience is extensive and that will serve him well in a category of racing where natural speed and the ability to set up a car are critical. One of Guerlain’s biggest strengths is that he’s a driver who is prepared to attack a new challenge head on – you can see that from his recent record attempts with MINI. He’s a driver that clearly likes to put on a good show and I’m sure that will guarantee some on-track excitement in France and Italy.”
World RX of France will take place from 4-6 September, with Franciacorta in Italy to stage the penultimate round of the year (16-18 October).
