In part three of our season review we look at some of our mid-pack and wildcard drivers, all of which had moments of brilliance over the course of their respective seasons.
Andreas Steffen
Andreas Steffen entered the TitansRX fray only expecting to compete at home soil, but he ended up racing for much of the season, participating in nine rounds out of 12.
It was a solid season for the German, who made two final appearances – a high-point being the season opener in France. Steffen was also a fixture in the semi-finals for all but one of the rounds he raced in, teething troubles with a new car in Austria preventing him from keeping a 100 percent semi-final record for his season.
Best result: Fifth – Round 1, Essay
Reini Sampl
Reini Sampl was, quite simply, a revelation during the inaugural TitansRX campaign. The series‘ only disabled driver, Sampl had a slow start to the year as he struggled to get to grips with the hand control system in his Pantera RX6.
By the time the circus arrived in Austria for Sampl’s home event, the rally driver’s car had undergone something of an overhaul. A new electronic control system allowed Sampl to fully unlock his potential and claim his first heat win.
While a final berth eluded him this year, Sampl nevertheless made the semi-finals in exactly half of the races in 2019.
Best result: Eighth – Round 1, Essay; Round 9 Nyirad; Round 10 Nyirad
Craig Breen
Whenever he was in the paddock, Craig Breen was the standout driver in TitansRX. The World Rally Championship star may be one of the world’s best known drivers, but he came into the season having no real racing experience under his belt.
You wouldn’t have noticed that though, with him making the final in each of the five rounds he took part in. In Round two in Essay Breen took to the track, deprived of sleep, having just won the Ypres rally hours earlier. In Montalegre he wowed the crowds by completing more on-track passes than any other driver, and in Austria he recovered from a dramatic fire in qualifying to equal his season-best result.
Ultimately the Irishman’s lack of seat time was probably the only thing that prevented him from claiming a podium and contending for overall honours this season.
Best result: Fourth – Round 6 Montalegre; Round 7 MJP Arena; Round 8 MJP Arena
Nelson Piquet Jr.
Fast, but unfortunate. That’s probably the best way of summing up Nelson Piquet’s partial campaign. Piquet clearly had the speed, winning four heat races and topping qualifying at Lydden Hill, but a combination of poor luck and costly errors cost him the chance of advancing from the semi-final stage in the four rounds he participated in.
Had he continued until the end of the season, there is no doubt that Piquet would have evolved into a regular contender for wins.
Best result: Ninth – Round 3, Lydden Hill
Hayden Paddon
Like Craig Breen, Hayden Paddon arrived in TitansRX with a stellar rallying CV, but no prior rallycross experience, and like Breen, none of that mattered.
Paddon was immediately one of the fastest drivers in the field, and narrowly missed out on a podium on his debut. A controversial clash with Antoine Masse prevented him from making it two finals out of two in France, but he more than made up for that when he returned in Austria to claim his maiden podium of the season at the series‘ home track.
Round eight wasn’t quite as good for the Kiwi, who got caught up in a clash at the start of his semi-final, once again costing him a place in the main event.
Best result: Third – Round 7, MJP Arena
