The TitansRX rallycross series has thrown its support behind local hospitals and the emergency services in its native Austria during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The series enjoyed a hugely successful maiden campaign last year, attracting top rallycross talent in Timmy Hansen, Kevin Hansen, Topi Heikkinen and Jérôme Grosset-Janin, plus World Rally Championship veterans Craig Breen and Hayden Paddon, among others.
However, amid the global crisis, the series was forced to halt operations indefinitely and the MJP Racing team that builds and services the series’ one-make Pantera RX6 cars has had to make temporary staff layoffs.
Despite that, series boss Max Pucher insisted the organization is in good health, and said it has even dedicated resources to the cause in the meantime.
“A few weeks into the coronavirus crisis we see that my decision to halt our operations was correct,” Pucher said in a statement.
“When I heard about the planned lockdowns it was clear that there would be at best a few races in 2020 and many other race series will be postponed or cancelled.
“We then lost the commitment of drivers and sponsors who understandably did not want to share our risk.
“Our planning and improvement of the Pantera was completed and testing had begun. All cars are in various stages of reassembly and most of the parts are in stock. We need four weeks to reassemble all cars.
“As there is currently a lockdown of all non-essential work in Austria for at least another two weeks MJP staff have been laid off and we will rehire them once we can see that we can get the commitment of partners and drivers.
“MJP is financially stable and can resume operations when this madness is over. We stay in contact with sponsors should the economy recover.
“Thanks to those who continue to keep our essential public services running. MJP has offered financial and operational support to local hospitals and emergency services. We do the best we can.”
Kevin Hansen, the 2019 TitansRX series winner, as well as Timmy Hansen and Reini Sampl had been among the drivers testing TitansRX’s improved 2020 car, which debuted at the 2019 season finale at Estering in the hands of Dan Rooke.
Among the planned changes for 2020 is a biofuel-based racing fuel, and tyres that dispose less particulate waste than normal, with the aim of making the series as green as an electric racing series while keeping traditional combustion-engined cars.
The series also planned to venture out of Europe for the first time with a trip to former World Rallycross and Americas Rallycross venue Trois-Rivières in Canada, though that event has now been pushed back to 2021.
