Andreas Bakkerud and Ken Block show off their 600 horsepower toys.
This car is not like a regular Ford Focus RS. The hatch is covered in carbon fiber and can reach 60 mph in just 1.9 seconds. This is the Ford Focus RS RX RX, a car that was specifically built to compete in the FIA World Rallycross Series. I am with Ken Block, his team and others at the Canadian round 2016 championship. This is the first time the Focus RS RX has been run publically in North America. Block’s Hoonigan Racing, U.K motorsports wizards M-Sport and extensive technical support from Ford Performance Michigan are the car’s owners. The new RS RX has a different body shell than the street-legal Focus RS. This is the first year that the car competes in World Rallycross. Block, along with his 24-year-old teammate Andreas Bakkerud, has exclusive rights for the car to race for two years before it is offered to other teams.
World Rallycross tracks are not fully paved. The Canadian track had a mix of tarmac and dirt. M-Sport could be very creative with the car’s design, performance and rules because they are more loose than other race series. The Focus RS RX project was an international effort. M-Sport’s facility was used for the actual car’s construction, while Ford Performance provided significant technical assistance. M-Sport was given a standard Focus RS bodyshell and built most of the rest from scratch. Ford Performance developed the engine, aerodynamics and suspension.
The engine’s turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 produces 600 horsepower and 663 poundfeet of torque. However, the aluminum engine must use a 45 millimeter (1.8 inch) restrictor. The all-wheel drive system is powered by a six-speed sequential transmission. The rally car uses a mechanical AWD system, unlike the Focus RS street car’s sophisticated torque-vectoring setup. There are no computers that determine which wheels will get what amount of power based on traction. Acceleration is explosive when you add that much power to cars with a minimum weight of 2,866 lbs (including the driver), as per series regulations. Block, who drives the #43 Focus RS RX, says, “Honestly, every time I launch the car and go through the gears there’s a big smiling on my face because that’s so much fun.” Bakkerud, Bakkerud’s teammate, agreed: “To be truthful, we have too many horsepower to do a great launch.” However, the cars have a launch mode that adjusts engine rev limiter, anti-lag system, and turbocharger spooled for super-fast standing starts. Even with the high acceleration, the top speeds aren’t that fast. Bakkerud estimates that he averages speeds of 202-203 km/h or 126 mph depending on the course.
Brembo brakes are made with four-piston piston calipers that grip 13.8-inch slotted wheels in the front. Reiger Racing Suspension supplies three-way adjustable suspension dampers. Cooper Avon race tires are required for all World Rallycross competitors. They measure eight inches wide and 17 inches in diameter. Cooper has both wet and dry compounds, so competitors cannot choose from any other brand. The suspension must do double duty. It has to keep the car stable on the asphalt and absorb the bumps in the dirt. Ford Performance motorsports engineer Han Kim says that the rear suspension travel of the Focus RS RX is approximately 9.4 inches. This allows for the car to withstand the massive compression caused by the jumps. However, it behaves more like a road-racing suspension than an off-road vehicle.
The Focus’s interior was stripped down to its essentials and packed with safety gear such as a roll cage and racing bucket seat. There’s also a huge lever to activate the hydraulic handbrake. Bakkerud says, “The handbrake is something we are often on.” It’s essential in rallycross for initiating drifts and negotiating hairpin turns. He’s also on all three pedals when he isn’t on the handbrake: “It’s a lot left-foot brake.”
These buttons can be used to control things as simple as windshield wipers and engine functions such as anti-lag. Bakkerud might say that he will turn down the ALS if he is leading the race; he would do the same if he was fighting to catch up to the rest of the pack. Bakkerud, Block communicate regularly with their spotter via radio. This is a member of the team perched high above track and provides advice on race strategy. The spotter is also responsible for deciding when each driver should do a “joker lap”. Each car must take a “joker”, which adds approximately three seconds to each lap. Failure to do so will result in severe penalties. This is a way to add strategy to otherwise short races. (The similar-but-different Global Rallycross series, meanwhile, also has joker laps – but, confusingly, they’re a little shorter than regular laps.)
Ford wanted the RS RX, despite the focus on high-performance racing parts and accessories, to remind Focus RS (and ST), owners who can still buy in showrooms. The rules stipulate that the car must have at least a passing resemblance with the model it is based on. Brian Novak (Ford Performance supervisor), says that the rules require it to look like a production vehicle. It’s definitely a bit more advanced. Flared carbon-fiber flared fenders allow for clearance for larger wheels and tires. A new front fascia, and an impressive carbon fiber rear wing, provide downforce. What is the cost? Ford will not give an exact figure, but it is a bit less than the World Rally cars. Nolan Halliday (Ford Performance aerodynamics engineer), says, “The important thing is that we want to make [downforce] maximum.” “Traction is the king. Is the last two-tenths possible with a little downforce?
Aerodynamics also meant that the car was able to withstand full-bore rallycross events. Radiators are located in the rear to protect the front-mounted intercooler. Under the hood, huge intakes and vents help supply air to the engine’s enormous thirst for oxygen and chill it. It is not enough for a car to be fast once; it must also be capable of enduring a full season, often with full-contact racing. The Focus RS RX has been designed to be durable and easy to repair. For example, half-inch aluminum skid plates cover the entire underside. These plates are strong enough to lift the car’s weight and can be lifted with a floor jack. Engineers must balance power with efficiency so that each car has three engines. However, components can often fail before they wear due to the short duration of Rallycross races.
Drivers often break bumpers and suspension parts so the team has enough spare parts to rebuild an entire car, he said. Race organizers limit drivers to eight tires per type (dry and wet) per car each weekend. This allows them to be creative with their rubber by swapping tires at each heat of qualifying, practice and finals. The Ford Focus RS RX RX has been a strong entry in World Rallycross’ Supercar class. However, there is still much to be done. Block sees 2016 as a year of development for the brand-new Focus RS RX RX. He is still adjusting to the car’s tarmac-oriented nature. Block points out that the car was built in nine months and finished just before the season began. He says that all of the testing and development was done on the racetrack, which can be difficult. It’s been a great effort overall, but it’s difficult to perfect when you do it in such a short timeframe. Block is currently in fourteenth place in the 2016 World Rallycross Standings. Andreas Bakkerud is currently in third. The duo has five more races to go this year, which gives both drivers the chance to score even more Focus points.