Local boy Ollie Bennett rubbed shoulders with the World’s best rally-cross drivers at Lydden Hill in Kent last weekend has the FIA World Rally-cross series came to the UK.

Rally reporter, Paul Willetts, told the Ross Gazette: “The former Moto-X rider has shot to prominence having switched from rallying to rally-cross this year, and currently lies second overall in the British Rally-cross Championship after two rounds.”

Lining up with 24 other drivers in the powerful Super Car class, alongside former World rally champions, Petter Solberg and Sebastian Loeb, DTM champion and current championship leader, Mattias Ekstrom, in the Audi S1. Although there to compete against the world’s best, it was a chance to evaluate suspension upgrades, anti roll bar and dampers.

With two days of fast and furious action ahead, the rally got underway with dry skies, before the heavens opened for practice and the first two qualifying sessions. Bennett was holding 23rd after Saturday’s two runs but moved up to 21st after Q3 on Sunday and finished 20th overall. He was the third British driver after his final run, with only British Touring Car regular, Andrew Jordan, who is no stranger to RallyX, qualified for the Semi-Finals in seventh place, and former British Rally Champion and Suzuki Works driver, Guy Wilks, who took 15th in his VW Polo, in front of him.

Bennett will now return to focus on the British series at the Pembrey Circuit in West Wales.