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GCK expands to three-car World RX line-up

Two-time European Rallycross Champion Anton Marklund will compete in the final three rounds of the World Rallycross Championship this season in a GC Kompetition Renault Megane, as the squad expands to three cars.

Anton Marklund, Marklund Motorsport Volkswagen Polo

Anton Marklund, Marklund Motorsport Volkswagen Polo

FIA World Rallycross

The Guerlain Chicherit-owned team ran British driver Liam Doran in the most recent events in France and Latvia after it split with Frenchman Jerome Grosset-Janin.

Having initially been driving on an event-by-event basis, Doran has also been retained until the end of the year and will compete in the final round of the Americas Rallycross Championship that runs alongside the American round of World RX at COTA next week.

Marklund tested the team’s Prodrive-built and developed Renault Megane RS RX in Latvia on Monday, switching from racing Marklund Motorsport’s Volkswagen Polo in the Euro RX finale last weekend, where he finished second the points a year after securing his maiden Supercar crown.

“I really want to thank Guerlain and the GCK team for believing in me and for giving me the opportunity to race in Austin. It’ll be a lot of fun I’m sure and I’m really looking forward to the race, and to race a car like the Megane RS RX,” said Marklund.

“I’ve had a first taste of the Megane and could definitely feel the potential within the car and entire team. We made some changes to the set-up in Latvia to suit my driving, so hopefully COTA will give me the opportunity to really test its full potential. I don’t have huge expectations but of course, any time I put that helmet on, I want to win.”

GCK team manger Karl O’Sullivan said: “Adding Anton and a third car to our team for the final quarter of 2018 is an exciting step for GCK. We are pleased with our improved results in Loheac and Riga and expect to further accelerate the development of the GCK Megane RS RX through the addition of a driver of Anton’s experience and quality.”

Doran impressed by setting a second fastest qualifying time in the car in difficult conditions at Loheac in France and made the semi-finals, but admitted to struggling with learning a brand-new technical circuit in Latvia last weekend. Regardless, he again made the semi-finals.

The British driver campaigned his own LD Motorsports Citroen DS3 to a podium finish in the ARX season opener at Silverstone and will conclude the American season in the Megane at COTA.

“I’m super excited to be finishing the season with GCK and Prodrive. It’s been a great experience so far and I feel I’ve been able to have a positive impact in developing the car further alongside Guerlain.

"It’s unbelievable for me, it’s an opportunity I never thought I’d get and I’m so appreciative to have been given it, I’ll make sure to give it my all to prove them right.”

Doran has previously won a round of the European Championship at the Estering, the German circuit that will host the penultimate round of the year.

“I’m so looking forward to Estering, a track I’ve raced a few times and like a lot,” he said. “I’m going to work as hard as I can to get the best results possible and I’m stoked to have this fighting team behind me.”

Heikkinen to Subaru for ARX

Two-time World RX event winner Toomas Heikkinen will also race in the ARX season finale, driving a Subaru WRX STI for the Subaru Rally Team USA squad alongside regular drivers Patrilk Sandell and Chris Atkinson. 

The Finn won the American-based GRC in 2013. 

“I have recently had a visit to Vermont where I had a test in the Subaru STI Supercar and the feeling was good straight away and the team is very focused, so I’m really looking forward to this,” he said.

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