Max Pucher: “The TitansRX is a bit of a circus troupe”

How did you come up with the idea for Titans RX?

I had been racing my team (Team MJP. Editor's note) in World RX for several seasons and I found myself in the situation where it had become impossible for me to continue. I disagreed with the future proposed by IMG (the promoter of the world championship. Editor's note) concerning the introduction of electrics in the discipline. For me, motorsport is not that. We must offer a show with fight, action and danger, a show that sharpens the senses. With electric, there will be almost nothing left. However, I am not at war with World RX and I prove it by being the title sponsor of Team Hansen.

Is that why the Titans RX motto is “Be loud, be wild, be real” in French?

Quite ! I wanted to offer a series that returned to the roots of the discipline with fights and noise. Please understand that I am not against electric technology. I have happily driven Teslas which are very pleasant cars. Motorsport players are not there to respond to the goodwill of manufacturers but to entertain the public and viewers. We are a bit of a traveling circus troupe that travels from circuit to circuit. For the record, we installed exhausts on the Pantera RX6 that increase the decibels and I like the sound. Too bad for the neighbors!

How did you manage to obtain such a prestigious grid?

I started by signing contracts with certain drivers so that they could come and ride. The rest happened naturally since I offered one car per weekend for the sum of €20, which is incomparable with a Supercars event. The price of one engine in World RX could pay for an entire season in Titan RX and you need three per season! In addition, the drivers drive twice as long since there are two events per meeting. I only retained three qualifying rounds, mainly because of the schedules and because the 000th qualifying round is not often of much use.

Why did you change the points system in the qualifying heats?

We preferred to favor the position at the end of the race rather than the time. It's fairer for drivers with less good track conditions and it rewards risk-taking and the desire to overtake rather than simply setting a good time while waiting for the semi-finals. This points system will favor the first places compared to the times.

Why not use the Joker trick in the classic way?

Quite simply because I want to see overtaking with maneuvers and not with strategies. There will therefore be no spotter. The Joker trick will only be useful for inflicting penalties. I know Kenneth Hansen doesn't agree with this idea, but I'm sure it should be given a try.

Speaking of penalties, how will the commissioners crack down on a series with such an aggressive slogan?

I explained to the pilots that they had the right to make contact with their opponents. Today, the slightest flick in World RX is punished. THE Rallycross, it's a fight on the track and we are not going to penalize a driver if he has crumpled a little sheet metal. The limit is not to send your opponent into a spin, to make him go off the track or to block him. In short, to ruin his race. We will seek to apply the penalty during the race. The finishing classification must not change.

Aren't you afraid that the stock of spare parts is out of stock?

It is true that we are a little tight in terms of timing since some cars finish being assembled on the eve of the race. The first tests on Saturday will serve as a burn-in for some. However, the Pantera RX6 are made to withstand shocks. Although light, the parts are very solid since they come partly from the Dakar. It's sturdy.

Why did you choose a unique car for this series?

It's a question of costs. With just one car for everyone, my structure can handle all the mounts. It was built by a team of 15 people in the space of a few months and its performance is very close to Supercars. This is mainly due to the weight gain as it weighs just over a tonne while the Supercars are 1300kg. The diet was simple to do since the tubular chassis is much lighter than a metal hull.

What problems did you encounter during the development of the Pantera RX6?

We were pleasantly surprised by the first results. The drivers immediately have fun with it and it corners well with a responsive front axle. The heatwave hitting France still worries us a little. We experienced some issues with overheating during testing and it has never been driven in these temperatures. But we have nevertheless developed solutions that should solve the problem by cooling the hydraulic circuit with more water.

The initial plan was to also run Supercars in another series. Why was this project abandoned?

Quite simply because I didn't have enough people committed. We couldn't do a series with three cars and so I buried the idea.

What developments do you foresee if the series works?

I mentioned the idea of ​​launching the Titans RX in the USA, but we see that the development of the discipline is difficult on this continent. After the end of Global Rallycross, IMG tried to take over with Americas Rallycross but we cannot say that it was a terrible success. I am instead considering further diversifying the calendar next year with more events and offering regional trophies for drivers who do not compete the entire season. I would also like to have a new engine that can deliver more power. And no, it won't be with the help of batteries (laughs).