Ex-WRC driver Stohl joins World Rallycross

Former World Rally driver Manfred Stohl will race full-time in the World Rallycross Championship this season, driving for the newly formed World RX Team Austria squad.

The team was launched in Vienna on Thursday evening, where six-time WRC podium finisher Stohl was announced as lead driver, alongside team owner Max Pucher. The two Ford Fiestas will be built by Stohl's preparation company, Stohl Racing.

"When Max and I had first contact, he immediately told me about his dream and vision to eventually bring an Austrian team to the World Rallycross Championship," said Stohl. "Without Max's commitment, this project would have never have happened. I am very pleased that he chose Stohl Racing to be the builder of our Ford Fiestas.

"I am certain that we will race state of the art technology and will be right where the action is."

Stohl made a single World RX appearance last season, driving for Petter Solberg's PSRX team at the finale in Argentina. He made the semi-finals.

He had once previously driven Pucher's Fiesta Supercar and comfortably won the Austrian Race of Champions. Pucher raced the car himself in the Austrian Rallycross Championship last season, and finished third in the series.

"Rallycross racers are the new gladiators," said Pucher. "The sport is fast, driver to driver combat with lots of contact. And it's all the driving action on asphalt and gravel that you get in the World Rally Championship, but with the perfect overview of a motorsport arena. This is destined to become one of the most popular motorsports in the world.

"I am very proud to have Manfred as a team mate and to bring the first Austrian team to World RX."

Originally on Autosport.com