Monster Energy World RX Team driver Liam Doran is set to make his return to the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy at the season-closing World RX of Argentina next month (27-28 November).
Having been forced out of the driving seat in early July due to a temporary licence suspension after events that occurred during the Group B showcase at the British round of World RX, 27-year-old Doran will return to compete in his Citroen DS3 Supercar as the Championship moves to South America for the very first time.
“It’s been an incredibly difficult year and I’m glad that we have now reached a stage where I can be back racing the car. I will have my FIA race licence back on the 14 November,” the Englishman explained.
Doran continued: “What happened at Lydden earlier in the year was massively frustrating and distressing. We had a tough start to the season, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to get things back on track with a strong home result. I drove as hard as I could all weekend, but even with a heat win I unfortunately didn’t make it into the finals. To top things off my Dad [Pat Doran] was driving Rosie [the RS200], as part of the Group B demo. It had already been a difficult weekend from my point of view, so when he got trapped in the fire during the demo, it tipped the balance. When I saw my Dad’s car in flames on the start line, with him stuck inside, all I wanted to do was get him out. It was a completely freak set of circumstances, and while I can’t go back at change it, I do regret the way things went down. I lost my temper, and that wasn’t the way I wanted things to happen. But my Dad’s life was in danger, and I’d like to believe that anyone would do the same under equal circumstances. As a result of what happened I had my licence taken away, and with the legal proceedings, I was advised not to comment publicly. Like I said it was massively frustrating. I want to take the opportunity to thank all of my team and sponsors for standing by me during incredibly difficult circumstances.”
This weekend (1 November) Doran will go head-to-head against a host of other stars including Ford Olsbergs MSE driver Reinis Nitiss and World RX of Norway podium winner Ken Block at the Gymkhana GRiD European Gauntlet final, which is being staged in Madrid.