Kris Meeke says he would be “interested” in competing in Nitro Rallycross should the opportunity arise this season.
The five-time World Rally winner was in Barcelona last week for the first public test of Nitro RX’s new FC1-X electric car and sampled the machine alongside some of the series’ confirmed entrants.
Speaking after his first run in the car, Meeke told DirtFish: “I think I’ll be interested. It’ll be nice to be involved in a project from the beginning, but let’s see. It could be something.”
The test was Meeke’s first proper experience of an electric competition car, and it left quite the impression on the former Mini, Citroën and Toyota campaigner.
“It’s something completely different [to what] I’ve ever experienced [before], it’s unique and it’s my first ever time in a fully-EV car.
“I think the potential is incredible.
“I was never a fan of Formula E, never really looked so much at Extreme E, but I always knew electric was a perfect technology for rallycross,” he added. “All the cars are going to be identical spec but you can’t put out the equivalent of a thousand horsepower [at once] – it’s insane!
I cannot imagine what it’s like with slick tires on a dry track, it’s going to be insaneKris Meeke on Nitro RX's electric FC1-X
“Yes, the car feels quite heavy, obviously battery technology is… we’re up in 1400-1500 kilos, but the potential is incredible.
“Running the wet tires here, the track’s fully wet, but I cannot imagine what it’s like with slick tires on a dry track, it’s going to be insane. But it’s definitely whetting the appetite for sure.”
Since losing his full-time WRC drive with Toyota at the end of the 2019 season, Meeke has dabbled in cross-country rallying, contesting the Dakar Rally for the first time aboard a PH Sport run Zephyr side-by-side in 2021.
He has also competed on the Qatar Baja recently in the T3 Lightweight Prototype category, against the likes of four-time Dakar Rally winner Nasser Al-Attiyah and another former WRC contemporary, Dani Sordo.
