Kenneth Hansen: “Rallycross is a way of life”

What is your first automotive memory outside Rallycross ?

I grew up not far from Götene (340 km southwest of Stockholm. Editor’s note) where we still live. There was a circuit not far away. I saw races there when I was quite young with Ronnie Peterson and even Alain Prost…without knowing who they were at that moment.

And your first contact with competition?

My parents moved from Denmark to Sweden before I was born and no one was interested in that. My brother may have done one stockcar round, but it came down to one weekend. This only concerned me when the two sons of one of my neighbors built a circuit kart. I must have been 13 – 14 years old and I think that was the first time I dreamed of myself as a pilot.

It's quite late!

At that time, people didn't start running as early as they do today. I couldn't drive until I was old enough. My parents didn't allow me to do it before.

What were your first experiences?

I didn't start on four wheels, but with motorcycle racing. With my friend Morgan, we must have been 11 years old when we competed in a few events with 50 cc. Above all, I think what I loved was Indian motorcycles more than competing with mopeds.

You didn’t immediately get into Rallycross?

Not at first. My first steps on four wheels took place in karting on tarmac circuits. I considered doing car, but it was not financially possible. It took me a long time before I