Leading UK hope targeting step-up to international stage this season
Former British Rallycross Driver of the Year boasts stellar record
19-year-old stunned onlookers to sweep national Supercar spoils in 2016

Reigning MSA British Rallycross Champion Dan Rooke has set his sights on graduation to the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires this year – but the young British hope is still seeking sponsors to turn his dream into reality.

Rooke has enjoyed something of a meteoric rise through the ranks in the discipline, winning his class and finishing third overall on his competitive debut at the end of 2014. He subsequently lifted the British Rallycross Championship SuperNational laurels and reached the final of the inaugural RX Talent Search at Lydden Hill in 2015 – earning him the accolade ‘British Rallycross Driver of the Year.’

Last season, the 19-year-old moved up again to clinch the British RX Supercar spoils at the first time of asking – defeating a whole host of more experienced rivals along the way. He is now eager to make an impact on the international scene, with the goal to contest at least all five European outings on the RX2 calendar, if not the full seven-round campaign.

“RX2 is an aspirational series for any young rallycross driver aiming to reach the top of the sport,” said Rooke, who conducted passenger rides during last week’s FIA World Rallycross Championship Media Day in Barcelona. “There’s a real buzz around RX2 right now, with an ever-growing profile – and for me, it’s the perfect stepping-stone to move up from the British Championship to the international stage.

“With a lot of quick young drivers already signed up, the competition promises to be fierce and with all cars being equal, RX2 really presents the perfect opportunity to show what you can do in front of all the sport’s biggest teams in World RX.

“We’re not quite there yet financially – we still need more support to get onto the grid – but we’re working flat-out to make it happen and hopefully we’ll have some positive news between now and the first round at Mettet next month.”

Drivers currently confirmed to compete in RX2 this year are France’s Cyril Raymond, American Tanner Whitten and Swedish stars William Nilsson and Andreas and Jessica Bäckman, with further announcements scheduled for the coming days and weeks.

The 2017 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires will take in seven rounds across three continents in support of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, visiting Mettet in Belgium, Lydden Hill in Great Britain, Hell in Norway, Höljes in Sweden, Trois-Rivières in Canada, Lohéac in France and Cape Town in South Africa.