Enzo Ide joins JC Raceteknik for European Rallycross campaign
Swedish rallycross team JC Raceteknik will expand to two cars in the FIA European Rallycrosss Championship for 2020, with Belgian driver Enzo Ide.
The Varmland-based team announced last week that it will compete in the FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2020 with reigning European Rallycross Champion Robin Larsson, having already confirmed that Norwegian driver Ben-Philip Gundersen would race with the squad in Euro RX this season.
JC Raceteknik can now confirm that Ide will race an Audi S1 Supercar in the five-round Euro RX Championship, the Belgian driver having a successful circuit racing career in his locker, from winning the European title in the Blancpain Sprint Series to honours in the Belgian FIA GT3 Championship.
He made his rallycross debut in 2019 with JC Raceteknik at Spa-Francorchamps, but shortly after suffered an accident at home which resulted in a fractured skull and a severe brain haemorrhage. Ide was in a coma and spent several months in hospital. The Belgian was determined to return to motorsport, and together with JC Raceteknik looks forward to the challenges of Euro RX.
Joel Christoffersson, Team Principal:
“The journey Enzo has been on over the past six months with his rehabilitation has been absolutely incredible. Sitting behind the wheel of a race car what he knows best, and I'm happy for him that he can do this again. We have known for a long time that he had plans to race in a whole series, and last year it was unfortunately only one event, so we look forward to being able to do this together this year.
Enzo is a very capable and successful racing driver who clearly knows how to drive a car. Now the challenge will be to adapt his style to rallycross, on asphalt and gravel. We will go into the season, see where we are and continue from there. Enzo has good potential and learns quickly and it will be beneficial for him to have Robin Larsson in the team to analyse his data.”
Euro RX Supercar: Enzo Ide (BEL):
“I'm really looking forward to driving again. My main goal is first and foremost to have fun, and to learn rallycross. As I progress, I will be able to expand my goals and set what I want to achieve on track. JC Raceteknik is a team with hard working people and a lot of experience, we have a good understanding with each other and I have a good feeling for the season.
I’ve previously done circuit racing, but in 2016 Mattias Ekström let me test a rallycross car, and I must say I was impressed. It was so much fun with a lot of adrenaline, I was addicted straight away. Then I did my first rallycross race with JC Raceteknik at Spa last year. Shortly after that, my accident happened. Since I stepped down from racing in 2017 there hasn’t been much driving. But now I am happy to be back and to be able to fully focus on rallycross.
Last autumn when I got the head injury and I was in hospital for eight weeks, my goal was to stay healthy and be able to drive again. Three weeks ago, I got the "Ok" from my doctors to start competing and I really think motor sport will be good for my recovery. I really want to thank everyone who has supported me during events, the accident and now during the road to recovery. The doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and other people who did everything for me - they made me live again. From my state seven months ago to racing at the first race in two months’ time, it's incredible.”
