Motorsport legend Ari Vatanen has joined the TitansRX Europe series as its official ambassador.
In his new role Vatanen will promote the fledgling series and attend every race weekend of the inaugural season.
“I have always liked rallycross because it combines all of the positive elements of rally, circuit, and even drag racing in a stadium setting – explosive start sprints with cars that are performing like our Group B cars leading to short dynamic races that keep spectators on their feet,” said Vatanen. “I think that the efforts of Max Pucher and his team to create a more driver-oriented rallycross series that is affordable and spends more money on TV than on engineering are inspiring. That is what entertainment is all about.
“The lower-cost Pantera design and the improvements to the race format is exactly what rallycross needs now and it will bring new drivers and sponsors,” he added. “I take my hat off to Max for taking the bull by the horns. I feel compelled to support his efforts any way I can. I hope that many spectators will join us and enjoy this fast growing and wonderful motorsport.”
Vatanen is very much motorsport royalty. He made his World Rally Championship debut in 1974 and went on to compete in over 100 events, winning 10 times. The first of those victories came on the 1980 Acropolis Rally, and a year later he once again won in Greece as well as in Brazil and his native Finland to claim the world championship crown.
He stopped driving full-time in 1998 to pursue a political career but made his 101st and final WRC appearance in 2003 in a one-off outing driving a privately-entered Peugeot at his home event.
As well as competing in WRC, Vatanen is best-known for his exploits in the Dakar Rally which he took part in 15 times between 1987 and 2007. Vatanen won on his debut with Peugeot in 1987 and went on to take a further three victories consecutively between 1989-1991.
Vatanen also won the famed Pikes Peak International Hillclimb with the French brand in 1986, completing the course in then-record time.
“When we contacted Ari we did not expect to find such an enthusiastic response to our plans for TitansRX Europe,” said Max J. Pucher, founder and CEO of TitansRX Europe. “Once he and I talked for a long time we realised that we share a grand vision of motorsport as it brings many benefits to drivers, sponsors and spectators through the shared emotional experience.”
“For anyone involved in motorsport, times have become more complex and many changes have not made our goals any easier,” Pucher added. “We are so excited to have Ari join us as a ‘TitansRX Ambassador’ who helps us in all aspects of media and FIA relationships.”
