Rytkönen makes World RX return with Betomik Racing.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

Juha Rytkönen has announced his return to the FIA World Rallycross Championship with the Betomik Racing team. 

Rytkönen's rallycross journey began in 2018, where he immediately marked himself out as one to watch. He contested the autocross class of the Finnish Championship, where he made history by taking maximum points from the season, winning every single race he started to lift the title at the first time of asking.

With all the boxes ticked, the Finn stepped up to the Supercar category a year later behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta RX. 

Taking into account the adaption period with switching cars, he was quickly on the leader's pace and claimed victory in the final round at Honkajoki was enough to secure his second title in as many seasons.

Last year, Juha continued his progression up the rankings, making the switch to World RX at the Kouvola double-header with GRX-SET behind the wheel of a Hyundai i20 Supercar. 

He impressed from the offset, claiming fourth in the intermediate standings, then going on to win his semi-final, and finish second behind multiple World Champion Johan Kristoffersson – outpacing the likes of Timmy Hansen and Niclas Grönholm in the process. 

Rytkönen was on the pace again the following day, only for a track limits penalty to rule him out - but his results over the course of the weekend were enough to place him 12th in the classification. 

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

He returned to top-flight rallycross earlier this month when he entered the RallyX Nordic double-header at OuluZone and claimed a double podium finish behind the wheel of the Betomik Racing prepared Ford Fiesta fighting the likes of Niclas Grönholm. 

 

The 29-year-old will be one to watch closely this season, as he prepares for a World RX return with Mikko Ikonen's led squad, having confirmed his return for the Catalunya curtain-raiser and Nürburgring rounds, with further outings to follow later in the campaign.  

"It was a big relief to get everything sorted out, and it is fantastic to be back in the FIA World Rallycross Championship after such a great start last year. The tracks will be new for me so it will be a steep learning curve, but I’m ready to do my job," Rytkönen said.

"I don’t have any major targets, but of course it would be great to make it into as many finals as possible. The most important thing is to get all the kilometres and data out of the races. The results will come if we can drive solid races without big problems."

"We will definitely enter four events in World RX this season," he adds. "The first two in Barcelona and at the Nürburgring are certain, and we will decide the remaining two later on. The aim is to drive even more rounds if we can make it happen..."