25 December 2024, Ronalds

Considering the rapid development of the Cross Car class in the European Autocross Championship, the championship is attracting more and more new drivers, including those from rallycross! As we know, both autocross and rallycross have their own unique characteristics. In conversations with Estonian driver Lucas Orav and Swedish driver Jimmie Österberg, we explored: What is the most challenging aspect for a rallycross driver transitioning to autocross? Which motorsport has the best atmosphere, both on and off the track? And why is autocross better than rallycross? Read below to find out! 
 

What are the most challenging aspects for a rallycross driver transitioning to autocross? 
 
"The biggest challenge is the difference in tracks and driving styles. In rallycross, we have both tarmac and gravel, along with curbs and zones with sand on the outside of the corners. In autocross, almost all the tracks are on natural dirt with no curbs or zones, making it feel more like Monaco on dirt. In terms of driving style, you can use a much wider variety of lines compared to rallycross." 
 
 
In which category in Autocross or Rallycross does the best atmosphere prevail throughout the week? 
 
"Atmosphere-wise, rallycross in Nordic countries has a lot to learn from autocross. The race I participated in at St. Igny was crazy on Sunday, with flares and a party atmosphere everywhere." 
 
 
What do you think, why are drivers from Scandinavia and the Baltics unwilling to participate in the European Championship Crosscar category? 
 
"The reason there aren't as many Nordic drivers racing in the European Championship, I believe, is because of the travel costs. Almost every Nordic driver runs their own team, and if you were to go European with your own team, you'd end up living in a camper all summer due to the long travel distances." 
 
What is special about Autocross that is not present in Rallycross? 
 
"What makes autocross special compared to rallycross is, first of all, the strict technical regulations, which ensure that every driver has more evenly matched equipment. Additionally, as I mentioned, the atmosphere around the races is a huge difference. In Nordic countries, Cross Car is more of a support class, whereas in autocross, it is treated as a main class." 
 
 
What are the biggest technical differences in the setup between Autocross and Rallycross? 
 
"Technically and setup-wise, I think in rallycross, we need to be more precise with setups because we also race on tarmac, which is less bumpy and requires less track watering. What shocked me the most during my race in autocross was how poor the track conditions were and the constant watering, even when there wasn’t any dust at all." 
 
 
 
What can we conclude from all this? 

Drivers from Scandinavia and the Baltics, respectively rallycross drivers, would like to compete in the European Autocross Championship's Cross Car class. This championship is considered more prestigious and technically balanced than the RallyX championship, which is popular in Scandinavia. However, the high costs deter them from participating in Europe. Hopefully, in the future, we will see more drivers from Northern Europe joining the competition. This would expand the championship’s geographical reach, making it a true European Championship by involving all European countries. Only then will we truly be able to determine the best driver in Europe!

What are the most challenging aspects for a rallycross driver transitioning to autocross? 
 
"I think the most challenging aspects are getting used to autocross tracks because they are much different from rallycross ones. Additionally, you need to focus almost entirely on the start since there is no joker lap to rely on." 
 
In which category in Autocross or Rallycross does the best atmosphere prevail throughout the week? 
 
"I think the best atmosphere can be found in the Buggy categories, especially among the super buggies. Those cars sound amazing with their turbos and everything!" 
 
What do you think, why are drivers from Scandinavia and the Baltics unwilling to participate in the European Championship Crosscar category? 
 
"I believe they are unwilling to do it because the European Championship has many more races compared to, for example, RallyX. This also makes it more expensive to travel around all the different countries." 
 
What is special about Autocross that is not present in Rallycross? 
 
"What’s special about autocross is that it has no joker lap, so you need to focus mainly on having a good start." 
 
What are the biggest technical differences in the setup between Autocross and Rallycross? 
 
"The biggest technical difference is that the ECU is limited to a certain point. Additionally, not only does the full car weight matter, but also the weight of an empty car due to the different regulations."