Having agreed a last-minute deal with Eric Färén to take the wheel of the new FC2 at the Montalegre circuit, 2024 FIA European Supercar Champion Patrick O’Donovan is making no secret of his eagerness to go head-to-head with the top contenders in the Open 4WD category.
While his Peugeot 208 will soon be back in action, O’Donovan has opted for a much tougher confrontation this weekend in Portugal by taking on the RallyX challenge. After setting the seventh fastest time in the opening free practice session on Friday evening, the Irish driver seems to be adapting well to his new machine.
“I’m feeling pretty confident, although to be honest I’m still not quite sure what to expect. I don’t have any specific goals for the weekend. What’s for sure is that this car is a real pleasure to drive. It’s fun, but it also requires a lot of adjustment – I’ve never driven a car with all the weight concentrated in the rear. I I know I’ll have to absorb as much as I can this weekend, and that’s exactly what I came here for. This race feels like a real baptism of fire, a big leap into the unknown.”
O’Donovan knows he’ll be up against some tough competition in the coming hours. But the thought of taking on the best of the best in a similar machine doesn’t faze him in the least.
“The field is incredible – there are some really talented drivers out there. Getting to go up against them in identical cars is pretty wild to be honest. I grew up watching someone like Tanner Foust dominate in rallycross and to be able to race against him now is a real privilege. I remember going to meet him a few years ago to get an autograph when he was driving the VW Beetle. I had that poster up in my bedroom. So to be able to share the track with him this weekend… it’s really special for me.”
That admiration eventually turned into inspiration as O’Donovan had the rare opportunity to study his idol up close.
“I was a reserve driver and then a full-time driver in Extreme E, which gave me the opportunity to analyse his data and study his driving style in detail. Maybe that’ll give me a bit of an edge here. Either way, I’m really looking forward to competing with him on the track. Of course there’s a bit of pressure – there’s always pressure when you’re up against the best. But at the end of the day, we’re here to have fun and put on a good show.”
An attitude that fits perfectly with his philosophy.
“My aim has always been to entertain. If the people watching at home don’t enjoy it, how can I? And with this kind of line-up here, it’s going to be something special.”