King Kristoffersson crowned five-time World Champion with victory in Catalunya.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Untouchable, incredible, masterful.. are just a few words to describe, Johan Kristoffersson, who clinched his fifth FIA World Rallycross Championship crown – and the first of the series’ new electric era – at World RX of Catalunya yesterday.

Determined after being handed a 3-second time penalty in the final on previous day, Kristoffersson immediately laid down a marker by lapping almost a full second quicker than anybody else in the SuperPole session. He then maintained that pace throughout the heats, with none of his rivals able to match him.

He's dominant run continued in the progression race and the semi-final, where he claimed pole position for the all-important final (inside line), but he had to nail the start. 

The Super Swede launched off the line, and began to pull away from he's nearest pursuer Timmy Hansen, and whilst the Peugeot driver was pushing behind to close the gap. It was Kristoffersson who ultimately took the checkered flag by 5.112 seconds to clinch his 34th career victory, but more importantly a fifth drivers' title. 

"I’m very proud. We started out from scratch with this car. It’s our baby, and so many people have put their whole lives into the project. This is such a team effort, and it’s been a real pleasure to have been a part of that journey," an emotional Kristoffersson said.

"Today, the Volkswagen was flying, and I really enjoyed showing off its pace and potential in the final – that was a lot of fun, pushing flat-out for five laps. I think every driver dreams of having a car like that.

"Five times that things have to be put in the right place to make it work and it has done so. It's also great to win the teams' championship together with Ole Christian. We first started working together in 2013 and I have learnt a lot from him in rally and now we are in my backyard with rallycross."

Timmy admitted that the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS driver was ‘untouchable’ but nevertheless leaving the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the event’s highest scorer. The 2019 world champion was Kristoffersson’s closest rival all day, and he pipped Ole Christian Veiby to the runner-up spot by just over a second.

"The weekend overall has been amazing, after our win yesterday, second place today is another strong result and I’m super happy about the weekend as a whole," Hansen said.

"Johan Kristoffersson was quite untouchable today and won his fifth World RX title so massive congratulations to him and well deserved. I was second and proud of that, I think it was the maximum I could do today."

For Ole Christian Veiby, third position marked a welcome change of fortunes following a run of bad luck of late due to mechanical issues, which saw him sit out most of Saturday morning. The 1-3 result secured Kristoffersson Motorsport the 2022 World RX Teams’ title.

"Incredible to be a part of this in my first season back in rallycross. And I think I have delivered my bit in achieving this success," the Norwegian said.

In the final, Klara Andersson was only narrowly behind in fourth – advancing to the final for the first time since her podium in Portugal and again showing strong speed as she kept pace with her illustrious and more experienced adversaries.

Her stablemate Niclas Grönholm wound up fifth in the sister Construction Equipment Dealer Team car – the Finn struggled with power steering issues in both the semi-final and final – while Kevin Hansen found himself on the back foot following a contact-induced spin at the start of the first progression race. The Swede proceeded to make a storming start from the outside of the grid in his semi-final, only to get rotated sideways, which ultimately put paid to his hopes of reaching the final.

Gustav Bergström’s challenge similarly ended at the semi-final stage, with René Münnich completing the order in his ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport SEAT Ibiza.

The championship will conclude with the final at the Nurburgring in Germany in two weeks’ time [November 12-13].

FINAL RESULT: World RX of Catalunya

1. Johan Kristoffersson (Kristoffersson Motorsport) 5 laps

2. Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) +5.112s

3. Ole Christian Veiby (Kristoffersson Motorsport) +6.325s

4. Klara Andersson (Construction Equipment Dealer Team) +7.562s

5. Niclas Gronholm (Construction Equipment Dealer Team) +2 laps

PREVIEW: Kristoffersson on verge of clinching fifth World RX title in Catalunya.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

With a 41-point advantage over his nearest rival, Johan Kristoffersson is aiming to clinch his fifth Drivers’ crown at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona this weekend. 

The Kristoffersson Motorsport driver has triumphed six times out of seven so far this season, and he knows what it takes to tame the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – although 15 months ago, he came off second-best there following a series of thrilling battles with the Hansen brothers.

But for ill-fortune and some strategic errors, Kevin and Timmy Hansen would have at least one win apiece to their name this year, too, and the Swedish siblings produced a superb team effort to keep Johan behind in Catalunya last season with Kevin clinching victory for the Hansen stable.

The Hansen World RX squad are embroiled in a fierce four-way fight for the runner-up spot in the overall standings with Ole Christian Veiby and Niclas Grönholm, with three points separating the quartet.

Although he was out of luck just over two weeks ago in Belgium, Ole Christian Veiby has displayed a strong turn-of-speed on his rallycross return this season – and with four podium appearances to-date, the Norwegian has proved to be a perfect rear-gunner to team-mate Kristoffersson. 

Grönholm, for his part, won at Montalegre and reached the podium at Spa, as the Construction Equipment Dealer Team increasingly establishes itself as a force to be reckoned with.

Gustav Bergström impressed yet again by placing inside the top three on both days in Belgium, while his CE Dealer Team counterpart Klara Andersson also spraying the champagne in Portugal, where she became the first female driver ever to finish on the podium in international rallycross’ top flight.

Completing the field in Barcelona is René Münnich, the German is continuing to improve with age – and it was in Catalunya last season where the ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport driver / team owner advanced to the final for the first time...

THE PERMANENT TEAMS:

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS: Johan Kristoffersson and Ole Christian Veiby

Hansen World RX Team: Timmy Hansen and Kevin Hansen

Construction Equipment Dealer Team: Niclas Gronholm and Klara Andersson (first gender equal team.)

THE CIRCUIT - CIRCUIT DE CATALUNYA, BARCELONA.

THE TRACK: 

Well-known for hosting Formula 1 and MotoGP, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya joined the FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar in the series’ second season in 2015, since when it has become a staple of the schedule. Spectators invariably enjoy an incredible view of the action in the stadium section of the famous venue.

Located right next to the famous F1 paddock, the asphalt sections are wide, smooth and fast. From the start-line of the 1,125m rallycross track, competitors tackle a sweeping left-hand Turn One (Turn Ten of the F1 circuit), before an uphill blast on the racetrack leads to the first unsealed area, which comprises a long right-hander and a kink to the left.

A quick-fire right-left-left – which forms the penultimate corner of the F1 circuit – marks the entry to the Joker lap, followed by a long, sweeping left-hand turn incorporating the back straight. The second of the two unsealed areas then has an intricate entry before running through a fast downhill right kink, with a tight left-handed turn leading to the finish line.

TRACK LENGTH: 1.125 m

NO. OF CORNERS: 12 

PREVIOUS WINNERS (2021) - Round 1 Kevin Hansen

SURFACE: 60% Asphalt, 40% Gravel.

JOKER LAP LOSS: 3.2 seconds (approximately)

FORMAT CHANGE:

The Qualifying heats will be renamed Heat 1, Heat 2, Heat 3 instead of Q1, Q2, Q3. There will be three heats only as opposed to the four that have existed over the last eight years. Heat 1 starting positions will be decided following a “Superpole” timed session instead of a draw.

Heat 4 will be replaced by a “Progression Race” to add one more decisive stage in the progress of the event towards access to the Semi-Finals. Starting position distribution for this Progression Race will be determined according to ranking after the 3 Heats. The Final phase remains with Semi-Finals and a Final, but with five-car starts. The highest qualified driver will have a free of starting position. Other changes include five laps in all races (Qualifying, Progression Race, Semi-Finals, Final) and no use of the Joker Lap allowed in Lap 1 if the Joker Lap is in Corner No.1.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (for 2022 onwards):

Championship points will be awarded based on the final  classification on the Competition on the following basis: 

1st: 20 points

2nd: 16 points

3rd: 13 points

4th: 12 points

5th: 11 points

6th: 10 points

7th: 9 points

8th: 8 points

9th: 7 points

10th: 6 points

11th: 5 points

12th: 4 points

13th: 3 points

14th: 2 point

15th: 1 point

- The Teams’ Championship is open to World Championship teams fielding two cars, and includes all points scored by both of the team’s drivers at each event.

World RX Entry List - World RX of Catalunya 

*GCK Motorsport’s Lancia Delta Evo-e will not be ready to race in Hell due to the extensive development work required to incorporate the new technology into the car, it will appear on-track in World RX later in the season.

*The second All-Inkl.com Munnich Motorsport Seat Ibiza RX1e is currently being built.

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Drivers):

Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 131 points

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 90 pts

Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 89 pts

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 87 pts

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) 87 pts

Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) 76 pts

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) 71 pts

Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) 62 pts

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Teams):

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS 220 points

Hansen World RX Team 177 pts

Construction Equipment Dealer Team 158 pts

ROUNDS 9 AND 10 - WORLD RX OF CATALUNYA (CAT TIMES). 

SATURDAY:

PRACTICE: 10:40

SUPERPOLE: 11:30

HEAT 1: 12:45

HEAT 2: 14:15

PROGRESSION RACE: 15:40

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 17:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 18:00 [RX+ only]

SUNDAY:

PRACTICE: 12:05

SUPERPOLE: 12:25

HEAT 1: 13:40

HEAT 2: 15:20

PROGRESSION RACE: 16:40

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 18:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 19:00 [RX+ only]

All of the on-track entertainment and off-track features will be broadcast live on RX+. Event passes are available for €7,99, with the full season pass on sale for €49,99. More information can be found here.

KYB EKS JC not entirely satisfied despite podium finish in Catalunya.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Three-time World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson was the man to beat in the Catalan heat having set the pace throughout the weekend and claimed a podium in his first start with the KYB EKS JC team, despite disqualification from the first qualifier.

The 32-year-old set the fastest time in the first free practice session of the season and then won both Q1 and Q2 on Friday evening. However, a problem with a cable connecting the FIA data logger led to disqualification from the Q1 race, leaving him down in 15th overnight.

Could Kristoffersson fight back on Saturday? He sure did. The Swede set another pair of fastest times, climbing to sixth overall to secure a second-row spot on the grid for the semi-finals. 

The second place in the semis was followed by a battle for race victory in the final, where Kristoffersson finished third. 

"I had a big fight back after the penalty, but we were the fastest in all qualifying rounds and set the fastest lap time in the final," Kristoffersson said. "The team has worked really hard and the car has been a dream to drive. Unfortunately, we could not finish on top this time, but we had great pace and I really enjoyed driving the Audi."

After round one, Kristoffersson lies third in the drivers’ standings, nine points off the lead.

"Now we just have to keep pushing. Even if you are fast on the track, there is a lot that can happen in rallycross, as we have seen," he adds. "This was the first round and even though we were very fast here, it’s important to continue working on every detail and always develops."

"Things change quickly and I need more time in the car to work with the team to find exactly the right setup for all conditions. But, I already know that the car's performance is very, very good and we look forward to Höljes."

Johan's teammate Enzo Ide, racing in his first full World RX season had a decent pace, winning a qualifying heat race. However, a crash in Q4 meant that even though he made it onto the semi-final grid, he retired from the race.

"It hasn’t been an easy event for me," Ide admits. "I had some technical problems in Q1 and Q2, which the team fixed for Q3. Then in Q4, I crashed out, hard. I drove a little too aggressively, charged too hard over the jump and something in the car broke. The guys did an incredible job to fix big damage at the front of the car to enable me to start the semi-finals, but after a few laps the car lost power and I had to stop."

"Overall I'm happy with the speed, but I'm still struggling to put all the pieces together."

The 30-year-old Belgian driver admits that having Johan Kristoffersson as a teammate is a dream come true. 

"It’s difficult to compare with Johan, he is, in my opinion, the best rallycross driver we have ever seen and puts all the details together, always," he said. "Having him as a teammate is a dream come true. Even though it was his first race in the car, he is incredibly fast, and he helps me develop and feel more comfortable in the car."

The Swedish squad leaves round one of the FIA World Rallycross Championship third in the teams' standings. 

Joel Christoffersson (team principal) admits that a third-place for Kristoffersson was "not what we wanted considering the speed" but admits after the disqualification from Q1, his team can be "very happy" with the result. 

"Johan was unstoppable on track in qualifying and it feels very sad not to fight for the victory in the way we wanted. Even if what happened wasn’t our fault, we are of course responsible and must take the consequences," Christoffersson said.

As for Enzo Ide, Christoffersson was happy with his performance over the course of the weekend despite a crash in Q4. 

"The semi-final was his goal this weekend, so we have to be happy with that. Both Johan and Enzo have shown that they are fast, and the whole team really can’t wait for the next race in Höljes," he said.

"It feels really good to have shown the speed like this in the season-opener and Johan is feeling more and more at home in the car. Now we have some stuff to perfect and will be ready to fight on in Höljes."

History made as De Ridder wins every session in first-ever FIA RX2e event

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA RX2e Championship 

Guillaume De Ridder produced a masterful display to dominate the maiden FIA RX2e event at the Circuit de Catalunya, becoming the first-ever winner in the all-electric championship.

The Belgian was fastest in all four qualifying sessions and battled to victory in his semi-final before taking advantage of an incident involving his main rivals Fraser McConnell and Jesse Kallio in the showpiece race.

That left the way clear for Ole Henry Steinsholt to claim second, with the Norwegian bouncing back after two significant crashes earlier in the day, while fellow teenager Patrick O'Donovan completed the rostrum.

The 17-year-old enjoyed a redemption story of his own after a disappointing DNF in Q2 left him playing catch up on Saturday, and the youngster showed his potential with a mature performance on the debut race weekend for the first-ever FIA electric rallycross championship.

RX2e, a joint project between Spanish electro-mobility specialists QEV Technologies and Swedish rallycross powerhouse OMSE, has the honour of being the leading support series to the FIA World Rallycross Championship this season.

And the brand new category, based on an 'arrive-and-drive concept with the intention of creating an accessible pathway to the top of the sport, certainly delivered plenty of action.

De Ridder was quickest out of the blocks on Friday, setting the pace in practice before going on to post the fastest times in both Q1 and Q2 with a couple of superb drives.

However, the 28-year-old was pushed all the way by McConnell and Kallio as the pair of former RX2 sparring partners picked up a second and third each to leave them level in the overnight standings.

Steinsholt and Frenchman Damien Meunier, who also boasts RX2 experience, were four and fifth midway through qualifying while local driver Pablo Suárez sat sixth after securing a very popular victory in his Q2 race.

As for O'Donovan, the youngest driver in the 10-car field started positively on his 4WD debut with sixth in Q1 but contact at the start of Q2 resulted in retirement and left him with a mountain to climb on Saturday.

The second day in Barcelona started with drama as heavy watering of the track caused treacherous practice conditions and resulted in a number of accidents - most notably a heavy shunt for Steinsholt while Suárez, Meunier and José Luis García also picked up damage.

The RX2e crew of engineers and mechanics went to work on the stricken machine, in full view of the live cameras belonging to the new RX+ broadcast platform, and pulled off a heroic repair job in time for Q3.

That gave Steinsholt a chance to line up in the quicker qualifying race, but the Norwegian soon found himself in trouble again - clipping the tyre barrier on the way into the final complex while chasing De Ridder.

The Norwegian rebounded into the centre of the track and collected Kallio, who in turn was hit by McConnell. The Jamaican was fastest to get going again, finishing a distant second while Kallio came home third and Steinsholt dragged his car around for fourth, with Meunier having come unstuck at the first corner after an ambitious move around the outside.

Suárez won the other race in Q3 comfortably while O'Donovan caught the eye, jumping from fifth to third in turn one before later pulling a tidy move on García to secure second and lift him up the intermediate standings.

De Ridder had his toughest challenge yet in Q4, going doorhandle-to-doorhandle with McConnell into turn one while Kallio and O'Donovan were hung out wide and opted to take early jokers. The Belgian was unruffled by the close attention though, and kept his cool to notch his fourth session win of the weekend.

In the other Q4 race, Steinsholt finally enjoyed a trouble-free run and showed his true pace to take the chequered flag while the unfortunate Meunier suffered mechanical issues, leaving the way open for Garcia to seal second ahead of Oscar Ortfeldt - a late replacement for Spanish ace Pepe Arqué - and British veteran Mark Flaherty.

De Ridder leading the FIA RX2 final.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA RX2 Championship.

The first semi-final was a showdown between De Ridder and Kallio, with the Finn noticeably more aggressive in his driving style as he looked to hustle is rival into a mistake, but De Ridder did not put a wheel wrong and claimed yet another victory while Steinsholt finished third.

McConnell was untroubled out in front of the second semi-final, although the action was fast and furious behind as O'Donovan passed Meunier thanks to an alternative joker strategy before the RX150 star also found a way past Suárez when the Spaniard got out of shape exiting the hairpin.

Those results teed up a mouthwatering final involving De Ridder, McConnell, Kallio, Steinsholt, Suarez and O'Donovan, set to play out under the setting sun as the live crowd took advantage of cooler temperatures thanks to the unusual evening format.

However, the contest was effectively over before it began with McConnell losing out to De Ridder in turn one and suffering contact in the pack which turned the nose of his car into Kallio's.

McConnell hit the barriers and was out on the spot while Kallio limped around for a lap before parking up, opening the way for Steinsholt and O'Donovan to profit.

Oblivious to the carnage behind, De Ridder cruised around to complete a historic clean sweep and lay down a marker for the rest of the season. Steinsholt was a comfortable second while O'Donovan displayed excellent race craft to resist the attentions of Suárez and claim an unexpected podium.

"I'm speechless - I can't describe the weekend. There are so many great drivers in RX2e, so to take the first win and make history is just an amazing feeling," De Ridder said.

"It has been a perfect weekend, winning every session and getting a clean sweep. This is a new series with a lot of fast guys so I didn't exactly know what to expect, but we were obviously aiming to fight for the win. It couldn't have gone better.

"The RX2e car has been even better than I could have expected. It is brand new technology, so you could expect some small failures, but it was absolutely flawless all weekend. The guys at QEV and OMSE have made a great product, it is a great piece of engineering and nice to drive so I have really enjoyed it."

An emotional Kevin Hansen claims closely fought Catalunya win.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

Sweden’s Kevin Hansen claimed victory in a closely fought World RX of Catalunya, round one of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

The Hansen World RX Team driver claimed his first win on track beating his older brother and three-time World RX Championship Johan Kristoffersson. Statistically speaking it's his second ever win in the championship but his first on-track win.

One could argue that the entire weekend revolved around Johan Kristoffersson's disqualification from Q1 on Friday evening after a "data logger" was not connected for the session, which meant Timmy Hansen took the overall lead after day one. 

Whilst Kristoffersson launched a fightback winning both Q3 and Q4, he finished sixth overall in the intermediate rankings meaning he made the semi-finals but would start behind the Hansen brothers on the second row of the grid.

The semi-final(s) was action-packed from start to finish with Timmy leading into turn 2 covering off an attacking Krisztian Szabo and Timo Scheider behind. Unfortunately, Scheider came off worse ending up in the barrier and ripping off a wheel. His dream of making the final was over!

Kevin, hungry for victory in Barcelona lead off the line but behind his Peugeot 208, it was pretty messy as Niclas Gronholm's race ended in the barriers. And, as the semi-final progressed, Kristoffersson was a man on a mission, but the younger Hansen brother hung on and to win semi-final 2 meaning he would line up alongside Timmy for the final. 

All set for the final in the cooling Catalan evening, the Hansen brothers had good launches off the line with Kristoffersson trying with all his might to get through from the second row of the grid. However, with a clever strategy, the Hansen World RX Team duo covered off the drivers behind and hung on to 1-2 on lap one. 

Opting for an alternate strategy Kristoffersson on lap 2, he took the joker lap, and we all know that over the years if you offer the three-time World RX Champion clean air he'd likely close the gap and win. 

But, with a strategic masterstroke played by Hansen brother, Timmy jokered on lap 3 to cover off the KYB EKS JC driver and comfortably come out ahead, but he got stuck behind Krisztian Szabo who jokered a lap later. 

A lap later, Kevin took his joker (on lap four) and came out alongside his elder brother to sweep into the lead from the outside line where he would remain until the checkered flag.

Kevin ended the final 0.141s ahead of his older brother Timmy Hansen and ahead of Johan Kristoffersson to claim an emotional victory in Catalunya. 

"If I look to the left or I look to the right. There are four world championships on either side of me and I beat both of them," Hansen said. "I worked so hard for this when I put a lot of effort during this winter to make changes."

"We had an opportunity when Johan did a mistake with their car (Q1 DSQ) and we took that opportunity. We had to fight for it for sure, but we had the advantage of track position. And it's so important to get the points."

"I'm super happy how I came back and, you know, took revenge on myself and just head down and worked for it. So I mean, to get a win in the championship like this. And I think leading the world championship to you know, it's been three years since I did last time," he concluded.

Kevin Hansen leading the World RX of Catalunya final.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX/Red Bull Content Pool.

The 2019 World Champion admits that he is super proud of his younger brother winning in Barcelona today, despite finishing second and holding off a fast-charging Kristoffersson. 

"I'm super proud of Kevin," Hansen said. "He did a fantastic job, of course. And I think both of us keeping it cool through qualifying and the first quarter through the final."

"We had a plan of how to exit the first few corners in first and second place and we executed that. After that, of course, Johan was incredibly fast. So to kept track of position, we had to copy his strategy."

The 29-year-old Swede admits that he lost time behind Szabo and could have won, but it wasn't to be.

"Because I covered Johan I was held up, although I wouldn't have needed more than a few hundredths coming out of that last corner," he said. "So I mean, could have been mine today, but it wasn't in the end. But still, this feels like a win for four for our team and for our family."

After the disappointment of being disqualified from Q1, Kristoffersson can be proud of his fight back! He admits that he was hoping for more this weekend after the pace he had shown. 

"We're on the podium. So, you said that to me on Friday morning. I will definitely take it. But after the pace we've shown, of course, we would like to have more. But at the same time, you know, like in semi-final and final, I don't want to be to risk it too much and be on the wrong side to pick up the penalties or try to to be aggressive but still driving fair. So there was no real way around," Kristoffersson said. "The pace of the car is fantastic and the team has done a great job. So that's that's bright for the future."

The action returns next month with round two of the FIA World Rallycross Championship in Holjes, Sweden (20-22 August).

PREVIEW: The scene is set for a thrilling World RX curtain-raiser in Catalunya.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

The long winding road is almost over. In less than three days' time, the FIA World Rallycross Championship will kick into life at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona for the eagerly-anticipated 2021 curtain-raiser - World RX of Catalunya - as the battle begins for the series' final petrol-powered champion. 

287 days since the World RX championship last race in Barcelona, excitement levels are fever-pitched. 

It all seems new with the arrival of Rallycross Promoter GmbH, the new liveries, testing completed, and 17 of the best drivers heading to Spain. 

Not only are there new faces in new places, but the Barcelona track itself is also set to post drivers a fresh challenge, with the notoriously tight Turn One left-hander that saw tons of action in 2020, now replaced by a wider, sweeping first corner. 

But wait, there's more!! The format has also undergone a shake-up, with the action due to kick off in the afternoon and continue into the evening on both days. 

PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik.

The king is back in town! Defending world champion Johan Kristoffersson leads the line-up, but the Swede – three times a title-winner in rallycross – has switched cars over the off-season. 

No Volkswagen Polo in 2021!

The Swede is preparing to fight for his fourth Drivers’ title behind the wheel of an Audi S1 Quattro, fielded by the KYB EKS JC outfit, which claimed the Teams’ trophy in 2020 at its first attempt.

Kristoffersson will be partnered by ever-improving Enzo Ide, while siblings Timmy and Kevin Hansen similarly have their eyes fixed on the main prize for family-run squad Hansen World RX Team.

Timmy, the older of the two Swedes lifted the laurels in dramatic fashion in Cape Town two years ago and – like Kristoffersson – was a winner in Barcelona back in October, so is sure to be a threat from the outset. 

Younger brother Kevin, meanwhile, has reached the rostrum on seven occasions over the past two campaigns and is bullish about his prospects for success behind the wheel of the team’s proven Peugeot 208.

Niclas Grönholm might not be a world champion YET but the Finn has come extremely close in 2019 when an early-season bout of appendicitis almost certainly cost him a shot at the crown, and in Hyundai i20, he has a potent package at his disposal. The same can be said for team-mate Krisztián Szabó, as the Hungarian returns for his second full season at the highest level.

After impressing in a number of one-off appearances – even leading the final on his debut in Norway two years ago –  Kevin Abbring, at last, gets his big break in rallycross this season in an UNKORRUPTED Renault Mégane R.S. RX, while two-time DTM champion Timo Scheider achieved his maiden World RX podium in Barcelona in 2017 and is fired-up to produce a repeat performance in his ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport SEAT Ibiza.

If you are looking for another potential dark horse, look no further than Juha Rytkönen. In Kouvola last summer, he dueled with Kristoffersson before going on to finish an excellent second. 

The flying Finn is back for another crack in 2021, rejoining the fray in a Betomik Racing Ford Fiesta, and is determined to show that his scene-stealing debut was no flash in the pan.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

Fresh in 2021, the supporting FIA RX2e Championship, fans will get a glimpse of the sport’s new era as an intriguing mixture of young stars and experienced hands go door-to-door in the quest to secure the first-ever FIA electric rallycross championship title before the World Championship follows suit from 2022.

So, let's learn a bit more about the new RX2e car.... The RX2e 'pocket rocket' incorporates a motor on each axle that together delivers 250kW (335bhp) of power and up to 510Nm torque is certain to produce some superb racing as it puts driver skill firmly at the forefront.

WHERE DO I WATCH THE ACTION?

Racing is set to begin at 15:45 CET on Friday afternoon (23 July), with all of the action across the board to be livestreamed in glorious HD quality via the new RX+ broadcast platform. 

The Full Season Pass is currently on sale for the special launch price of €29,99, representing a 40% discount on the regular price of €49,99 and guaranteeing access until the end of the year. The Event Pass for World RX of Catalunya is currently available for €4,79 (using promo code RXPLUS40), again representing a 40% saving on the regular price of €7,99.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RX+ HERE: fiaworldrallycross.com/world-rx/i/info/

WITH A NEW PROMOTER COMES CHANGE... Change is something that no one really likes, and having enjoyed hours, upon hours of free live streams and TV broadcasts. At first glance, it appears that the luxury has come to an end as no broadcast deals have been announced (yet).

The 'Voice of World RX' Andrew Coley will not return to lead commentary in 2021 after a completely new presenting line-up was announced a few weeks ago. Martin Haven and Nick Fellows will lead commentary, with Hal Ridge joining them as the expert commentator. Joining them are Neil Cole, Molly Pettit, and Ben Constanduros who will share studio and paddock reporting roles. 

Clutch issues hampers KYB Team JC's push for strong results in Barcelona.

PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik.

Mattias Ekström's hopes of clinching a second World Rallycross Championship stalled after a challenging weekend at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona plagued with clutch issues, whilst teammate Robin Larsson had a troublesome weekend, as he was involved in a number of on track incidents.

Having taken two wins in 2020, at Holjes and Riga, and finishing P2 three times. The 2016 champion had high hopes for the fourth and final double-header at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona having won in 2016 and 2017 and crossed the finish line first in 2018 until he was handed a penalty for contact with Petter Solberg at the first corner. 

Heading into the weekend Ekström had a clear plan, and that was to reduce Johan Kristoffersson's championship lead to single digits, but that plan slipped out the window with a jump start in Q1 due to a clutch issue seeing him finish the session in tenth overall.  

Q2 saw Mattias climb up the rankings to sixth, with a further improvement in Q3 seeing him finish behind Kristoffersson, Timmy Hansen, and Andreas Bakkerud. In the semi-final, the Swede finished behind Kristoffersson and progressed to the final where he would finish in fourth place. 

Hard work overnight by the EKS-supported team on Saturday improved the pace of the Audi S1s for round eight on Sunday. Mattias was on a mission and won two qualifying sessions to take 16 championship points for being the top qualifier, and he would start on pole position for the semi-finals. He finished second in the semi-final and was in contention for a podium finish until he made an error at the final corner and spun off the track, handing third place to Anton Marklund. 

After a second-place finish on Saturday (round 7) and a win at round 8 of the championship, Kristoffersson has increased his championship lead to 27 points with two rounds remaining. Mattias needs to ensure that Johan does not outscore him by four points in Belgium to keep his hopes of clinching a second title alive. 

"We came here with the hope of having a good weekend as I like the track and so on, but we struggled quite a lot with starts, with the clutches especially, so that was the main topic of the weekend for Robin and myself," Ekström said. "That was for sure not nice and when you’re focusing on a problem, you also reduce the effort to try and work on the setup. I think we came a bit on the back foot on fine-turning the car, and never really got the momentum going."

"You can only say congratulations to Johan Kristoffersson and Timmy Hansen for winning this weekend, they did a better job and we just need to get our heads down, sort out our issues and come back stronger."

Things weren't any better for Ekström's teammate Robin Larsson. Despite posting the fourth-fastest time in Q1, his front right suspension broke seeing him dive nose-first into the tyre barriers after the jump in Q2. And, with a repaired car, he posted the ninth-fastest time in Q3, which wasn't enough to see him progress to the semi-finals. However, KYB Team JC had other plans, as Enzo Ide (JC Raceteknik) made the cut for the semi-finals, he was withdrawn "due to a technical issue", and Larsson would take his place as the first reverse. 

Larsson did not have a good start in the semi-finals, and unfortunately, he was unable to gain the spot required to progress to the finals. He'd have to take an early shower and refocus for round eight. 

Whilst his teammate topped qualifying on Sunday, the double European Rallycross Champion found himself in seventh overall behind Johan Kristoffersson. 

He then finished just behind Ekström in the semi-finals to make the final, then had a good start, but his race ended when he hit Andreas Bakkerud who had been spun at the first corner. 

"On Saturday we were all struggling a bit, we didn’t find the pace, especially for Mattias who was at the top all day but he couldn’t find the last little bit. That’s the bad thing about a double-header weekend, sometimes it takes a whole race in one day to find the answers," Larsson said. "We started Sunday really good but I jumped into a hole in qualifying and got a puncture. In Q3 the clutch was overheating, I think we found every bit of bad luck we could this weekend." 

"The car felt really good, I had a good start in the semi-finals and I was able to be careful for the last three laps, then in the final, I had a really good start but I had nowhere to go when the cars came together in front of me. Hopefully, we have our bad luck out of the way now."

With two rounds of the 2020 World RX championship in Belgium and Germany, KYB Team JC maintains the lead in the teams' championship standings despite Team Hansen reducing the lead to 16 points. 

"It’s been a really, really difficult weekend. Saturday was bad for us, we didn’t have the pace at all and it felt like we almost didn’t earn the speed we had. We really had to work hard on Saturday night and did a good job," Joel Christoffersson, KYB Team JC and JC Raceteknik Team Principal said. "As we have done every weekend it seems we find something on the night after the first race in these double-headers sadly."

"We did some good things and found the speed. Mattias was top qualifier and Robin was P7 in the Intermediate on Sunday, but in the semi-finals we lost the pace a bit against Johan Kristoffersson. I feel sad for Robin for what happened in the first corner of the final, and that we had a problem so Mattias didn’t finish on the podium."

"Team Hansen has done a good job this weekend and caught us a lot in the Teams’ championship, so we really need to re-focus and go to Spa aiming to do some good," he concludes.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

GRX Taneco rues lack of grip at Barcelona double-header.

PHOTO CREDIT: GRX Taneco

It was a weekend to forget for GRX Taneco who was struggling with a lack of grip at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona.

The Finnish squad had high expectations for the final double-header of the season in Barcelona after finding some improvements after the Latvian double-header, but they were soon brought down to reality with Timur Timerzyanov bowing out in the semi-finals at round seven (on Saturday).

And, while it looked a bit better for Niclas Grönholm who made the final. He finished in fourth place and admitted that his Hyundai i20 was lacking grip. 

Whilst Saturday did not bring the desired results, GRX Taneco worked into the night to analyze why they were lacking grip and make the necessary changes for Sunday's round, but unfortunately, both GRX Taneco drivers were still struggling with grip and were unable to match the pace of their rivals. 

Despite lacking grip, Grönholm admits that the team has taken a step forward with race starts (launches), and he believes that he had the right tire strategy, but he was unable to make use of it. 

"We had good starts and I must say that is a big step forward from where we were at the beginning of the season, but out on the track we still struggled with the grip," he said. "I think we were also very good on the tire strategy, but just couldn’t take the advantage of it."

"Now it will be a long break before we go to Belgium, and I really hope we can find a solution and be more competitive in the next race."

Missing the draw on Saturday evening for round eight, Timur started his day off in Q1 Race 1 where he finished behind Robin Larsson and was sixth overall with two qualifying sessions to go. 

Whilst leading Q2 Race 3 in the early stages, he did not have the pace to match the likes of Kristoffersson and Bakkerud. And, would finish behind his teammate Niclas in fourth seeing him drop a position in the overall standings to P7 overall. 

Q3 saw the GRX Taneco drivers both have great launches, but Anton Marklund had other plans and led the race into turn 1/2, while Timo Scheider also got the best of the duo, which meant Timur would finish behind his teammate once again. 

In the semi-finals, the Russian made it through the first corner last, and despite a first lap joker he was only able to jump Enzo Ide to finish in fifth-place where his weekend would end. 

"It was a tough race today [Sunday] and the track evolution didn’t make my day any easier," Timerzyanov said. "At some moments we were able to deliver, but overall we are not where we want to be and we need to work on finding the overall pace."

Jussi Pinomäki, the GRX Taneco Team Manager says despite reaching a new low, the only way is up, and his team will use the month break between Barcelona and Belgium to bring the team back to the top again. 

"It’s not a simple sport and I guess that’s what makes it so attractive. Everyone has their ups and downs, and at the moment we are quite down," Pinomäki said. "But it means that there is only one way to go from here - and that is up. Everyone in the team is working really hard to bring us back at the top and now we have one month to do it."

After eight races of the season, Niclas Grönholm is currently fourth and Timur Timerzyanov tenth in the drivers’ standings, while the GRX Taneco squad hangs onto third in the teams' standings.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Hard work pays off as Marklund claims podium in Barcelona thriller.

PHOTO CREDIT: GC Kompetition.

Anton Marklund says Bilstein's hard work has paid off at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona after a challenging first half of the season. 

With a glimpse of pace in the season opener in Holjes, Marklund appeared to be a regular contender for a spot in the finals, but unfortunately, as the season progressed he would only be a regular in the semi-finals. 

Following on from the Latvian double-header in September, Bilstein and GC Kompetition studied data, conducted some tests, and found some good improvements. 

And, while testing results can bring some high expectations, GCK Bilstein were on the money in Barcelona with Anton just missing out on a place in the finals by 1 second on Saturday afternoon. After round seven, the Swede admitted that with some overnight fine-tuning he could claim a good result on Sunday. 

The GCK driver started his first qualifier on Sunday morning on the outside (of turn one) alongside Timo Scheider, Tamas Karai, and Niclas Gronholm.

Fourth through the first corner wasn't the best way to start the day, but he chased down the leader, and with an alternate strategy, he jokered on the last lap and powered alongside Timo Scheider who defended the inside line blocking Marklund and he would finish in P3 (10th overall). 

The second qualifier saw Marklund drop into second behind Scheider having been squeezed into turn 1. He gained position into second on lap 3 before overtaking Timo Scheider on the last lap to take the chequered flag, moving up seventh overall.

For the final qualifier, he started on pole, and while Gronholm and Timerzyanov had a much better launch he fought back to take the lead on lap 3 and he hung on from there to cross the checkered flag and stamp his pass into the semi-finals. 

Starting from the second row of semi-final 2, Anton had a clean start and took the inside line slotting into third after turn 1. He maintained the position and pushed ahead to create enough distance to join the pack in fourth following his joker in lap 3. He crossed the final line in third, which meant he would have a third-row spot on the grid for the final.

With no new tyres for the final, he was at a slight disadvantage, and with a reasonable start, he managed to avoid the first corner melee involving GCK stablemate Andreas Bakkerud and Robin Larsson to slot into P3. With a first lap joker, he was right on the rear of Ekstrom and began pilling on pressure. As Ekstrom spun off the track, Marklund claimed third where he would finish, successfully claiming his first podium of the 2020 season with GCK Bilstein. 

"I’m really really happy for all of GCK and Bilstein," Marklund said. "While I was at home trying to relax and doing analysis in between races, they’ve worked super hard at the workshop and the factory to bring us a race-ready car with significant improvements since Finland RX."

"I’m just so happy that they’ve made it work and they now have a car that races extremely well and is fully back on pace. We just have to build on this now and we have a race win in us still." 

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Masterful Ekström heads qualifying for second Barcelona round.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX.

Mattias Ekström topped qualifying for round eight of the 2020 World Rallycross season in Barcelona as championship leader Johan Kristoffersson failed to top a session for the second time this season.

The 2016 champion was the pacesetter in Q1 and Q2, with Monster Energy GCK RX Cartel's Andreas Bakkerud topping the table in Q3 to secure a pole position start for semi-final two. 

"To be honest I am surprised [to beat Ekström]," Bakkerud said. "I was the first car into the first car. Oh my god!"

Kristoffersson has not had the Sunday that he had hoped for finishing sixth in Q1 after taking a risk on higher RPM for the launch. While he tried to undercut the Hansen brothers on the inside, he was wary that a third reprimand could result in a five-point penalty, which could prove costly. In Q2, the Swede went backward off the line but came out in third as the race played out he progressed to P2 behind Andreas Bakekrud which meant he would finish the session in fourth overall. 

Q3 saw three five-car races following the withdrawal of Liam Doran. Kristoffersson would start on the outside, but was last through turn 1, while Bakkerud led the way from Ekstrom, Kevin, and Timmy Hansen. 

Ekström jokered earlier than his rivals in hope that he can undercut Andreas Bakkerud ahead, but the Norweigan had other plans and only took his joker lap on lap 3 seeing him leapfrog his former teammate. While Kevin Hansen who stayed out managed to pass Mattias as well to the claim second. 

Stuck behind Bakkerud and Kevin Hansen, Kristoffersson would end the session in fifth place, and for the first time this season, he will line-up on the second row of the grid for the semi-finals. 

Kevin and Timmy Hansen have enjoyed another strong day finding themselves in third and fourth respectively in the standings. 

Anton Marklund completes the top six ahead of Robin Larsson who will make the semi-finals this time after Enzo Ide was sacrificed on Saturday.

Despite winning Q3 Race 1, Larsson went backward off the grid due to a clutch issue, but it was like the seas parted for the reigning Euro RX champion as everyone he closed in on seemed to have an issue and he passed them with ease. 

"I had a problem with the clutch at the start. It slips from the gears to turn one," Larsson said. "The car feels good, but it's been one of those tough weekends when everything goes wrong." 

It's been a tricky morning for Niclas Grönholm who has been struggling to find the pace yesterday but admitted that Sunday has been slightly better. "The car was good in the morning practice, but the track is developing in the wrong direction," he said. "It's hard to be in the last heat. We have no luck!"

Timo Scheider who has had endless mechanical issues yesterday has had a slightly better Sunday splitting the GRX Taneco team-mates with Timur Timerzyanov in tenth. 

Tamas Karai and JC Raceteknik's Enzo Ide take the final two spots in the semi-finals. Ide was investigated for an incident with Oliver Bennett and was handed a three-second time penalty. 

All-Inkl Muennich Motorsport's Mandie August will miss out on a spot in the semi-finals by a single point, while Q2 race 1 winner Oliver Bennett has also missed out and will not progress any further after finishing the three qualifying sessions in 14th overall, ahead of Patrick Guillerme, and Liam Doran.

Doran's day came to a premature end due to engine issues while leading in Q2. The Brit was leading his heat race but an engine misfire earlier in the race led to engine failure on the final lap, which resulted in a spin and contact with the barrier as he crossed the finish line. 

"It started well and lead the race. Then I had an engine problem in the middle of the first lap then had an engine failure," Doran said. "The engine just let go and then had no engine to pull me out of the wall."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Hard work pays off as Team Hansen claims first win of the season.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull

Determined to get back to winning ways, Team Hansen arrived at Circuit de Catalunya with a number of updates after completing a few days of testing prior to the Barcelona double-header, and it has shown that these updates are in fact working. 

Whilst traction has been an issue for the team in the first half of the season, they seem to have found a solution this weekend, as reigning champion Timmy Hansen claimed his first win of the season in emphatic style, with younger brother Kevin Hansen finishing in third place to give the team a double podium. 

Timmy continued where he left off in 2019 by winning a nail-biting fight against championship leader Johan Kristoffersson by the slimmest of margins 0.417s. 

"There has so many times I've been chasing Johan since 2017 when they entered with that Polo. We have been chasing it as Team Peugeot-Hansen, Peugeot as a factory team, and now as Team Hansen the privateer, so it feels like we've beaten the unbeatable today," Timmy Hansen said. "This result is a big box tick for me; It's something I've been trying to achieve for a long time, to beat that car and driver combination in a World RX final."

With improved traction and pace, Timmy believes that his can be a lot faster tomorrow with some fine-tuning. 

"I believe we can go even faster tomorrow. There are still things we can fine-tune for this track and I know the more work there is, the faster we'll go. So I'm feeling very hopeful for tomorrow," he said. "If we can achieve the same again tomorrow as what we managed today that would be fantastic. Right now I'm happy and grateful for today's result but tomorrow it's about refocusing, doing another three qualifiers and two finals. Who knows, maybe we'll come home with two first-place trophies?"

Kevin Hansen also claimed his second podium of the season, after his second place at the team's home round in Sweden. He slotted in behind Timmy in the final and came out well clear of Niclas Grönholm securing third at the finish line.

"It's been an amazing day. It's great to get some pay-off for all the hard work we've been putting in since Finland and finally we're back on the top step with a 'brodium'!," he said. "This is an amazing place to do it, the site of our one-two finish last year, to come back to the top and win again."

"Our speed has definitely improved since the last round, so we definitely deserve this result. We need to keep our head down now; we've got a good car and we can improve it further. There are still some small things on my side that can be improved to unlock more speed."

"I'm in a good place for tomorrow regarding tyres, so generally, I'm really happy with how the weekend is going," he concludes.

14-time EuroRX champion and Team Principal, Kenneth Hansen finds some satisfaction that his team was able to chase down the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS Polo R Supercar. 

"It was absolutely fantastic to watch the end of this race, with Timmy chasing down the Polo; a very good factory car that we've had some difficulty matching the pace of in the past," he said.

Whilst Team Hansen claimed their first win of the season, Kenneth says the team needs to continue working as they have not found a perfect set-up just yet.

"All the development, testing, brainstorming we've done so far needs to continue this weekend because we haven't found a perfect set-up yet," he adds. "But we continued to improve our set-up throughout the day and planned our tyre strategy well, which made a difference."

"We really needed this one-three result today, to really demonstrate our performance and potential again with meaningful results. Now, we will focus to try and repeat this performance tomorrow."

"It will be difficult but we are feeling confident and we won't be staying still with our development either; we will be trying more changes to close the gap even further."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Kristoffersson extends championship despite second place finish in Barcelona.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jakub Nitka

Johan Kristoffersson extended his championship lead despite a second-place finish at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona. 

The double World Champion arrived in Barcelona with a mission to keep the distance to Mattias Ekström, without taking big risks. His competitors had other things in mind, and gave him a tough Saturday. 

"I picked up 27 points today. You don't lose the title because of days like that," Kristoffersson said. 

Q1 saw Niclas Grönholm squeeze Kristoffersson into the wall at the first corner, but his Volkswagen Polo was only left with minor scars and from there he was untouchable crossing the line 3.137 seconds ahead of Gronholm, Bennett, and Scheider.  

In Q2 an aggressive first corner saw Robin Larsson squeeze the Marklund and Kristoffersson. The latter hit the tyre barrier seeing him launch up on two-wheels and coming out behind Larsson and Timmy Hansen while Marklund hit the rear bumper of Kristoffersson. 

Comfortably in the lead, Larsson's right suspension broke seeing him hit the tyre barrier, and while Timmy Hansen took the lead, but he was quickly hunted down by Kristoffersson with a damaged Polo R Supercar and ultimately be overtaken based on joker strategy. 

"Yes, the car is really well built. That could have ended much worse," he said.

Kristoffersson rounded off by winning Q3, finishing top qualifier for the fifth time this season, and picking up 16 points.

In the semi-finals, he got another knock on the rear end from Ekstrom and stuck on to lead and comfortably win the semi-final securing pole position for the final. 

The final got off to a bang, on the front row the Swede had four used tyres while Timmy Hansen on the outside had four new tyres. Whilst Johan got off to a good start, Timmy Hansen hugged the inside line and Johan hit the barrier at the first corner looking front bumper and bodywork but still led the race. 

"When I lost the front the car it became somewhat understeery," he said

Despite lacking some front end performance, he took the fight with Timmy all the way to the finish line, in what was a real rallycross battle from both of them. Both Johan and Timmy were reprimanded by the stewards for two separate collisions in the final.   

"The Hansen team were strong today. Timmy and the whole Hansen team have done a fantastic job between the races, I’ve seen they’ve been testing and pushing on and that’s what keeps us on our toes as well," Kristoffersson said

Tommy Kristoffersson, the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS boss explains the team's tactics today.

"We could have been more aggressive with tyre and joker strategy, but today we wanted to secure qualifying points and a starting position up front for the semis and final. Collecting points was more important than securing the victory," he said.

The strategy/tactics worked out well, as Ekström was not having one of his best days, and Johan extended his championship lead from 17 to 25 points.

Written by - Junaid Samodien

Marklund happy with performance in Barcelona despite missing out on finals.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX

GCK Bilstein's Anton Marklund has been left satisfied after showing promising pace at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona. 

Despite missing out on a spot in the finals, the Swede's weekend got off to a promising start with a third-place finish in the first qualifier. 

With the fastest drivers going first in Q2, Marklund would start in third-place alongside Timmy Hansen and Johan Kristoffersson on pole position. The funnel-like turn one saw four cars squeeze for the lead with Robin Larsson attempting an aggressive overtake around the outside, which basically put the squeeze on Marklund and Kristoffersson who was on the inside, ultimately seeing the latter go up on two wheels. Anton brought his Renault Megane home in third-place.

Q3 saw Anton line up on pole alongside Gronholm, Ide, and Bennett. Putting down a fight for position with Gronholm but lacking grip, Marklund finished the race in second with a 10th fastest time overall putting the Swede in eighth and onto the second row of the semi-finals.

With the Hansen's making it through turn one in the lead ahead of Gronholm. Marklund and Larsson fought all the way into turn 3, where the Swede opted to take the joker lap and come out at the tail end of the field. The GCK Bilstein driver fought back to jump Robin Larsson, but it wasn't enough to get of Gronholm for the final spot in the final. 

"Bilstein has put in a new evolution of the damper since the last round and this hard work has really paid off, the car feels great which I think we proved with our practice time and the p3 in Q1," Marklund said.  "Q2 and Q3 were more of a struggle with significant impact in Q2 and some miscalculations in Q3, which had us miss out on the first row of the semi-finals."

"The car felt fantastic again in the semi-finals and we just missed out on a spot in the final having got stuck in a little bit of traffic. P4 today feels great though because I can really feel the potential of the car for tomorrow now."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Icecool Kristoffersson is World RX top qualifier again at Barcelona

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX 

Johan Kristoffersson survived an incident in Q2 to continue his strong run of form and claim the top qualifiers spot in the seventh round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship in Barcelona. 

After dominating in Q1 by 3.137 seconds over Timmy Hansen, and topping Q3, the Swede fought back in Q2 after being pitched onto two wheels at turn one in an incident deemed to be caused by Robin Larsson who squeezed across the front of Marklund and Kristoffersson. 

For the incident, 10-points were deducted from Larsson's Q2 classification, which saw him drop to the tail end of the field. The Swede felt that the penalty was quite harsh: "It was a rough Q2. Got a 10 point penalty after turning into the first corner. I don't know how we are supposed to race. Then something broke after the jump."

Larsson currently misses out on a spot in the semi-finals by a single point but could make the cut should JC Raceteknik withdraw Enzo Ide. 

Reigning champion Timmy Hansen finished second in the intermediate classification showing that Team Hansen's recent tests and upgrades have assisted in solving their traction issues. Whilst his 2019 rival, Andreas Bakkerud finds himself in third-place overall. 

While Bakkerud's GCK Renault Megane R.S. RX was being rebuilt following his crash in Latvia, the Norweigan got behind the wheel of Marklund's supercar to test some tweaks and improvements which has proven to work this weekend.

"Very, very happy that we scored my first qualifying heat win with the Renault Megane. So, absolutely very happy with the boys and the girl's work from the team. I think we did a great development since Riga and we are looking better now," Bakkerud said. 

Kevin Hansen, a bit under the radar this weekend with fourth-place overall. While championship contender Mattias Ekström in fifth overall after battling with clutch issues throughout the three qualifying sessions.

"Again we are struggling with the clutch. We haven't found the issue yet," the Swede said having won his Q3 heat race. 

A dejected Niclas Grönholm leads the GRX Taneco duo in sixth with Timur Timerzyanov in seventh. 

"It's been quite difficult. It's not getting any better. It's quite disappointing not to have the speed and also the car is not easy to drive," Niclas said.

Anton Marklund, Timo Scheider, and Liam Doran complete the top 10 with Oliver Bennett, and Enzo Ide also advancing to the semi-finals. 

Doran was reprimanded by the FIA Stewards for not respecting a car on the left-hand side in Q3. 

As mentioned earlier, Larsson might not advance to the semi-finals should JC Raceteknik allow Enzo Ide to take his spot on the grid. 

Tamas Karai, Patrick Guillerme, and Mandie August have also failed to progress semi-finals and will return for more tomorrow morning 

Written By - Junaid Samodien

PREVIEW - Can anyone stop Kristoffersson in Barcelona double-header?

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX.

The heat is on! SIX DOWN... with four to go. The fourth and final double-header of the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship will take place at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona this weekend.

Barcelona will play host the final double-header of the season, and with this, we'll see minor naming changes. Instead of a standard name across the full weekend. The event organizers have opted for two names for each round.

Round seven on Saturday is named to support the local bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics, Logitech G FIA World RX of Pirineus-Barcelona 2030 while round eight on Sunday is named the Logitech G FIA World RX of Catalunya.

This year's round at Circuit de Catalunya will be held behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And, all competing teams and event organizers and officials will be operating on reduced staffing levels to comply with the FIA safety regulations with 295 accredited personnel, a reduction of 55 personnel compared to Latvia. All personnel are required to provide a negative PCR test before they are allowed to enter the circuit. 

FIA World Rallycross Championship

The unprecedented 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship will continue this weekend after a 26-day break. Three different drivers have taken event wins this season, while Johan Kristoffersson leads the way having won rounds one, three, and five. 

The double World Champion has established a 17 point lead at the head of the championship, with closest rival Mattias Ekström aiming to stop his Swedish compatriot in his tracks. Ekström returned to the championship this season in place of Janis Baumanis with KYB Team JC and has won rounds two and six. 

The 2016 World RX champion has a clear plan of what he needs to do this weekend. "If I want to be world champion I think it’s pretty fair and square, I need to beat Johan at least twice and I have two chances this weekend on Saturday and Sunday to bring the lead down to single numbers. That means from 17 down to nine, beating him by eight points," he said. "That is the hope and the target."

Ekström's teammate, Robin Larsson, is currently fifth in the championship having claimed his first podium with a third-place in round six of the championship in Latvia. During the break between the Latvian and Spanish rounds of the championship, Larsson has been helping Enzo Ide get up to speed. 

Ide was sidelined for much of last season following an accident at home that left him in an induced coma for several months. The Belgian will return to World RX this weekend at the wheel of a third JC Raceteknik Audi S1 Quattro. 

GRX Taneco's Niclas Grönholm was one of the favorites heading into the season but has not had the start to the season that he had expected despite picking up a win at round four of the championship in Kouvola. And, while it hasn't been the easiest of seasons for the Finn, he currently holds third place in the championship. His teammate at GRX Taneco, Timur Timerzyanov has had the pace but has ultimately fallen foul to ontrack incidents and mechanical issues, he is currently in ninth-place in the championship standings.

Reigning world champion Timmy Hansen is still in the championship hunt just 55 points behind championship leader Johan Kristoffersson. While younger brother and teammate Kevin Hansen is sixth in the championship. 

The Hansen brothers have had a good record at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona having claimed a one-two finish last season, and will aim to replicate that result this weekend. 

Whilst the updated Peugeot 208 WRX hasn't been as strong as the team expected. Both Kevin and Timmy spent their downtime testing their supercars and found some much-needed improvements. 

"I've conducted many rallycross tests over the years and the results we got out of our test last week were some of the best we've ever had. I'm very excited to be coming to Barcelona with this fresh approach we've got and the multiple updates we've brought with us," Timmy Hansen said

Monster Energy GCK RX Cartel's Andreas Bakkerud returns after a 120km/h crash in Latvia. He confirmed that his Renault Megane R.S.RX has been rebuilt and is ready for this weekend's action, while Liam Doran is hoping that his run of bad luck has ended. 

Timo Scheider has shown his potential at the wheel of the AllInkl-Muennich Motorsport Seat Ibiza, but last time out, it was a weekend to forget for the double DTM champion who was disqualified for the incident with Andreas Bakkerud. 

This weekend Scheider will be partnered by Mandie August who replaces Rene Muennich and becomes only the second female driver to start a World RX event.

GCK Bilstein's Anton Marklund will hope for better luck this weekend after suffering with a number of technical issues this season. 

After a tough start to the season, UNKORRUPTED announced their withdrawal from the Spanish round of the championship citing: "We have found significant issues that can not be addressed in time to be race-ready."

The French squad will hope to solve their issues ahead of the final two rounds in Belgium and Germany later this year. 

Joining the Permanent Competitors in Barcelona is Tamas Karai who will return in his Audi Supercar having also competed in the World RX of Finland double-header. 

Xite Energy's Oliver Bennett is back! The Brit returns to the championship after missing the opening six rounds. He will be driving his redeveloped Mini SX1. While Frenchman Patrick Guillerme will conclude the 16-strong driver line-up in his Hyundai i20. 

The GRID for Q1 - ROUND SEVEN of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

TRACK STATS

Situated within turns 10 to 15 of the 4.6km Formula 1 circuit, the World RX track at Barcelona is 1,135km long and consists of 60% tarmac and 40% gravel. It uses parts of the F1 track in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. A significant change as a safety improvement since last year, the inside of rallycross turn three – the long right-hander in the first gravel section – is now lined by a steel guard rail which replaces the tyre wall previously used.

What to look out for:

Turn One: Like the previous round in Latvia, Barcelona's first turn on the rallycross circuit has a funnel-like effect. It's only used on the first lap before joining the main track but as a high-radius corner a few hundred metres after the start. Expect plenty of nudging between drivers trying to get the holeshot.

Joker exit: The fastest part of the circuit is the back straight, which runs between turns 12 and 13 of the F1 track in the reverse direction. While those on the regular lap have track position and the inside line, cars exiting the joker have a huge momentum advantage with higher corner exit speed. Look out for bold around-the-outside passes here!

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

2015 - Petter Solberg 

2016 - Mattias Ekström.

2017 - Mattias Ekström.

2018 - Johan Kristoffersson.

2019 - Timmy Hansen. 

2020 - ?

BROADCAST TIMES and SCHEDULE for Rounds 7 & 8 of the FIA World Rallycross Championship at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona (CET):

The livestreams for the events will be carried on the official World RX Facebook page and YouTube channel:

facebook.com/fiaworldrallycross

youtube.com/RallycrossRXTV

Schedule:

Round Seven (17 October 2020)

Free Practice: Saturday 8:30 am

Q1: 10:20 am

Q2: 11:50 am

Q3: 13:40 pm

Semi-Finals and Final: 16:00 pm to 18:00 pm

Round Eight (18 October 2020)

Warm-Up: 8:30 am

Q1: 9:30 am

Q2: 10:50 am

Q3: 12:40 pm

Semi-Finals and Final: 15:00 pm to 17:00 pm

Written By - Junaid Samodien