Hansen tops day one of France World Rallycross

Factory Peugeot driver Timmy Hansen won both of the first two heats at Loheac's French round of the World Rallycross Championship to head the order after day one.

The Swede, whose family Hansen team runs Peugeot's works rallycross operation, led both of his races from the first corner. He met Petter Solberg in their second heat encounter, leading the championship leader throughout after Solberg had a slow getaway. The Norwegian Citroen driver ended Saturday second overall, with Pontus Tidemand's Audi S1 in third for DTM star Mattias Ekstrom's team.

Championship contender Reinis Nitiss was twice fourth fastest to hold the same position overall, with the young Latvian keen to stay out of trouble and make it into the semi finals.

The form at the French round of the championship is traditionally mixed up thanks to a host of local drivers, and European series regular Jerome Grosset-Janin is fifth in his Renault Clio ahead of reigning European rallycross champion Timur Timerzyanov in the second Peugeot-Hansen entry.

Ken Block was second fastest in heat two, and had been quickest in heat one provisionally, before being handed a 30 second penalty for forgetting to take his compulsory joker lap.Currently 13th overall, the American needs to break into the top 12 on Sunday to progress through to the semi finals.

Andy Scott lies 11th overall, an impressive performance given the strength of the local entry. He finished second in his heat two race.

Jacques Villeneuve's replacement for the event, David Binks, is 18th overnight, tied on heat points with Irishman Derek Tohill.

Lydden Hill winner Andreas Bakkerud twice had issues with the start procedure in his OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta and is 23rd, one position behind Petter Solberg's new teammate Simone Romagna. The elder Solberg brother Henning is one spot ahead of Romagna, and is standing in for Liam Doran.