Kenneth Hansen (rallycross)


Svend Kenneth Hansen, born 29 September 1960 and hailing from Götene, is a Swedish rallycross driver with Danish roots. His late father, Svend Hansen, can be regarded as the inventor of the so-called Joker Lap for rallycross. Hansen has been part of the European rallycross elite since the late 1980s and has won an FIA European Championships for Rallycross Drivers title no less than 14 times up until the year 2008. He holds most of the records for rallycross, including the amount of attended European rounds.

Racing career

Hansen began his racing career with karting in 1976 and via folkrace and rallying made his way to national rallycross in 1983. After a few years successful national racing, crowned by his first Swedish Rallycross Championship in 1986 when he drove a Volvo Amazon, he entered international rallycross in 1987 with an ex-Lars Nyström Volvo 240 Turbo. After changing to a 500+bhp Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth in 1989 Hansen instantly became the driver to beat of the former Division 1, claiming the FIA European titles of four consecutive years here. However, in his first year he was, for the first and only time during his ERC career, excluded from an event, after it was proven that he had been using illegal 103 octane race-fuel during the Norwegian 1989 European round.
From 1993 and onwards, Hansen competed exclusively with Citroën cars. At the end of the 2010 season, Hansen wound down his own racing activities to be able to develop his team Hansen Motorsport. In March 2013, Hansen was appointed to the FIA's then-newly created Driver's Commission as one of 12 driver representatives.

Personal life

Kenneth Hansen still lives in his birth town of Götene with his wife Susann Hansen ; herself a successful rallycross driver and winner of the 1994 European Cup for Drivers of Group N cars up to 1400cc. Together they have two sons; Kevin, born in 1998, and Timmy, born in 1992. Both sons have followed their parents footsteps to race in rallycross for Hansen Motorsport.

Racing record

Complete FIA European Rallycross Championship results

Division 1

YearEntrantCar1234567891011ERXPoints
1987Kenneth HansenVolvo 240 TurboAUT
7
SWE
FIN
3
ESP
7
FRA
IRE
BEL
3
NED
5
NOR
GBR
2
GER
3
5th94
1988Kenneth HansenVolvo 240 TurboESP
DEN
6
SWE
FIN
6
IRE
FRA
3
BEL
3
NED
NOR
6
GBR
3
GER
4
6th91
1989Kenneth HansenFord Sierra RS500 CosworthESP
DNS
AUT
1
SWE
2
FIN
IRE
2
FRA
1
BEL
2
NED
2
NOR
GBR
3
GER
1st123
1990Hansen MotorsportFord Sierra RS500 CosworthAUT
4
SWE
FIN
1
IRE
1
FRA
BEL
NED
1
NOR
1
GER
4
GBR
3
1st121
1991Hansen MotorsportFord Sierra RS500 CosworthPOR
1
AUT
FIN
FRA
1
IRE
1
SWE
1
BEL
1
NED
1
NOR
1
GBR
GER
1st140
1992Hansen MotorsportFord Sierra RS500 CosworthGBR
2
AUT
DNS
POR
2
FIN
1
SWE
FRA
IRE
1
BEL
2
NED
2
NOR
1
GER
1st128

Division 2

Division 1*

* ''Division 2 was rebranded as Division 1 in 1997.

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