Three time MSA British Rally Champion Mark Higgins claimed the 2018 MSA British Rallycross Championship title in his first attempt by winning the ninth and final round of the season on Sunday at Silverstone.
Racing a Peugeot 208 Supercar for the Albetac Racing team, Abermule’s Higgins qualified in pole position for the last race of the season and dominated the six lap final to win the title.
Higgins had entered the final round five points off the lead but his victory and a fourth place finish for rival Ollie O’Donovan meant Higgins secured the crown.
“It’s been a really good day, but it was open to anybody,” said Higgins. “It’s been so close, there were so many permutations. It was just trying to be the one that made the least mistakes.
“The conditions have been really, really tricky so to win the championship, I’m over the moon,” said Higgins after taking his third win of the year and his first rallycross championship crown.
“Rallycross is very exciting, you’re not driving for a long time but what’s happening in that time is really exciting and these cars are amazing, I’ve really enjoyed it.
“Massive thanks to Albatec Racing, the University of Bolton and of course Eddie Stobart for supporting me again.
“In my 30 years of motorsport, to win another MSA British Championship is fantastic.”
“It’s been a highly emotional year with big highs, and very big lows but that’s motorsport as we know. We’ve been a strong team all season.”
Higgins’ success marks the first British RX title for the Albatec Racing team, which has previously run drivers like 1997 Formula 1 Champion Jacques Villeneuve in the World Rallycross Championship.
“Mark put together without a shadow of a doubt the drive of the year this weekend, he was totally in a class of his own and barring any disasters was always going to win,” said Albatec owner Andy Scott.
“We’ve had pretty much 100 per cent reliability. The car’s been good all year and so has the driver.”
Higgins’ victory completes a successful few months for the Higgins clan with brother David maintaining his dominance of the USA Rally Championship this season.
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