Hans Weijs Jr unable to convert golden performance into worldtitle

RSL Staff

– October 28, 2010Posted in: JWRC, News

Four podium finishes, with one victory amongst them, out of the five J-WRC rallies weren’t enough for Hans Weijs Jr to secure a deserved World title in the junior championship. In a frantic Rally of Spain the young Dutch driver landed in third spot and that wasn’t enough to fulfill his dream. Together with his co-driver Bjorn Degandt he ended up in second spot in the final J-WRC classification.

Weijs and Degandt’s mission for Spain was obvious. To be absolutely sure of a title the final round had to be converted into a win. The frantic Spanish J-WRC round had all elements of a thriller in the best Hitchcock style in it. Spanish driver Yeray Lemes surprisingly opened a big lead on the first of three days.

The Dutch-Belgian crew of the C2 Super 1600 was forced into a pursuit while Aaron Burkart could ease off and wait for things to come. On the opening stage of the second day however Burkart himself helped them in the driver’s seat when he lost a wheel of his Suzuki. Burkart was forced to retire for the remainder of the second day, waiting for a restart on the final day under SupeRally regulations.

Weijs Jr and Degandt saw their title glare at the horizon, but to be sure they had to pass Yeray Lemes. On the first pass of the 42 KM long El Priorat stage Lemes had a puncture. He lost two minutes and that put Weijs and Degandt on a straight course to the J-WRC crown. But 7 km’s before the end of the event the crankshaft sensor of the C2 gave in. Weijs and Degandt had to perform an emergency repair on the side of the road. The young Dutchman lost 13 minutes and his chances of winning the title. The events on the penultimate stage hit the service park in Salou like a tsunami. No one could even imagine this to happen.

After such a strong performance over the weekend it just could not be true so close to the end of the rally. Even people of the Citroën Total World Rally Team and the Petter Solberg World Rally Team, who were awaiting the outcome of a tense battle for the title with the teams of Hans Weijs Motorsport and MY Racing were astonished. But it was really taking place on the stages and the disappointment was huge within the entire team.

“I did everything I could possibly do to get the car to the finish. We always carry a selection of spares such as an alternator, a starter, a wishbone and some other small parts in the car. It is extra weight, but you can also use it to balance the car. Luckily for me I had the crankshaft sensor in the car”, a deeply disappointed Hans Weijs said afterwards while fighting to hold back his tears. But he had proven to the world that there was only one driver who had deserved not only to win in Spain, but also take the final J-WRC title. The 2010 season had resulted in a silver medal, but a silver medal with a big golden edge for the young Dutchman.