Hansen: World Cup preparations ‘some of the best I’ve ever seen’

Kevin Hansen has hailed the ‘spirit and passion’ he witnessed on a trip to Jakarta in promotion of next month’s inaugural FIA Rallycross World Cup (5-6 December) – describing the preparations for the eagerly-anticipated event as amongst the ‘best he’s ever seen’.

Hansen and Sébastien Loeb were the first two drivers to be announced for the World Cup back in the summer, with the high-profile duo set to contest the headlining RX1 category with SARGA MOTORSPORT.

The pair’s relationship goes back more than a decade, to when they first competed together for Hansen Motorsport in the FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2016. They crossed paths again during the fifth round of the 2026 Euro RX1 campaign at Lohéac, where the Frenchman progressed to the Final behind the wheel of a Peugeot 208, while the Swede took to the track in a Hyundai i20 – the same model of car that both drivers will pilot in Indonesia. 

With less than five weeks until some of the biggest stars of the sport return to action, two-time World Championship runner-up Hansen is looking forward to going doorhandle-to-doorhandle once more in an effort to clinch the dual-surface discipline’s coveted World Cup crown.

“I’m so excited to be back with Seb,” the 28-year-old enthused. “I remember one of the first times I met him, I told him that when I was a kid, I’d had pictures of him next to my bed. He was a superstar to me, and now, I’m happy to be able to call him a friend. To go to the World Cup together and put one car on the top step [of the podium] is our goal, but no matter the result, I think we’ll have a great time!

“Thank you to SARGA MOTORSPORT for the incredible event they’re going to put on in Jakarta, but also for supporting us to go racing. It’s been fantastic to see their spirit and their passion for rallycross, which aligns fully with myself and Seb, and we can’t wait to get out on-track and wave the flag for the team in Indonesia! It’s an amazing place to host the first-ever World Cup, and the preparation that’s gone into the event is some of the best I’ve ever seen.” 

While most widely renowned for his extraordinary nine FIA World Rally Championship titles and 80 individual WRC wins, Loeb has also proven his prowess as an accomplished rallycross competitor, reaching the World RX rostrum 17 times in 32 appearances from 2016 to 2018 – including a brace of victories. 

His recent return to the fray on home soil at Lohéac – going second-quickest in Q1 in the high-calibre, 30-strong field – demonstrated that he has lost none of his flair, and the Haguenau native is pleased to be rekindling a partnership that he credits as instrumental to his success in the sport.

“Kevin and I had some good times together in the past, driving in the same team with Timmy [Hansen – 2019 World Champion],” Loeb reflected. “Everything I know about rallycross, I learned with the Hansen family, so it’s nice to be back with Kevin, especially for the World Cup!

“Thank you very much to SARGA for giving us this opportunity. At the beginning of the year, I didn’t expect to be racing in the World Cup but I have a lot of very happy memories in rallycross, so I’m really happy to be going to Jakarta!”

The beginning of a significant new chapter for the sport, the first-ever FIA Rallycross World Cup will be delivered in partnership with 360-degree sports and entertainment ecosystem specialist, SARGA.CO.

Competitors will do battle for glory in the RX1 and RX5 classes, with a distinctive sporting format featuring the introduction of Superpole, two mandatory Joker Laps and eight-car races for the Semi-Finals and Finals.