Marklund Motorsport signs Toomas Heikkinen for 2014 rallycross challenge
Fresh from its debut season running Volkswagen Polo Supercars, rallycross team Marklund Motorsport has announced that Global Rallycross and double X Games champion Toomas ‘Topi’ Heikkinen has signed with the Swedish outfit.
For 2014, the FIA European Rallycross Championship has become a global series, and Heikkinen will join Anton Marklund in a 500+bhp rallycross-prepared Polo.
The 22 year-old Finn will lead Marklund’s charge for the upcoming season and he and Marklund will debut new for 2014 Volkswagen Polo RX Supercars which are currently being built in the team’s workshops.
Heikkinen helped test and develop the car last season. After investment, team manager Jan Marklund believes Heikkinen will allow Marklund Motorsport to enter the new world championship as immediate title contenders.
‘Signing Topi shows the sort of progress that Marklund Motorsport is making going into the new season. His results speak for themselves and we are incredibly happy to have a champion leading our driver lineup,’ Marklund commented.
‘It’s a very exciting period in our project and shows the hard work and planning that we have put in is really paying off.’
Heikkinen agreed. ‘After a successful year winning the 2013 Global Rallycross Championship, my goal now is to win the new FIA World Rallycross Championship with Marklund Motorsport, and nothing less.
‘I’m confident that together we can develop a winning car and team. I want to thank Jan Marklund for this great opportunity to join Marklund Motorsport. I’m pumped for the season ahead.’
Existing Polo driver Anton Marklund battled against Topi in last year’s GRC and at each Global X Games and is fully aware of the talent and fighting spirit his new teammate possesses.
‘Topi is a great driver and a real competitor – I’m looking forward to working with him and seeing what this season brings.
‘We have been working extremely hard over the last 12 months and securing a driver as talented as Topi is testament to the incredible development the team has made. We want to win and be the best team in Rallycross,’ he said.
Marklund Motorsport has recently announced that it is helping develop Polo RX Supercars for the new Andretti Autosports team until its pair of Volkswagen Beetle Supercars are ready later in the season.
