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.”
![NITRO_RX_138](https://www-dirtfish.imgix.net/2022/04/NITRO_RX_138.jpg?auto=compress&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=520&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=70&w=780&wpsize=entry-main)
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!
![Kris Meeke](https://www-dirtfish.imgix.net/2020/12/SI201805170208_news.jpg?auto=compress&fit=crop&fm=pjpg&h=700&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=70&w=700&wpsize=square-thumb)
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.”
![NITRO_RX_106](https://www-dirtfish.imgix.net/2022/04/NITRO_RX_106.jpg?auto=compress&fit=scale&fm=pjpg&h=520&ixlib=php-3.3.1&q=70&w=780&wpsize=entry-main)
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.