PREVIEW: Kristoffersson leads charge as World RX races into Rīga.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Following the opening round of the 2022 campaign at Hell in Norway - three weeks ago, the FIA World Rallycross Championship is on the move once again, and this time the championship heads to one of the best venues on the calendar for a double dose of action this weekend at the Ferratum World RX of Rīga-Latvia.

The Biķernieki trase (circuit) located on the outskirts of Latvia's capital city, Rīga, was introduced to the calendar in 2016, with it's high-grip asphalt placing a firm focus on tyre strategy, and it's unforgiving barriers that line the track.

Latvia is happy hunting ground for defending champion Johan Kristoffersson - who kick started he's fourth title charge 12 months ago. 

This weekend, the Swede returns, and this time around he is not 20 points behind the Hansen brothers, instead he is leading the championship standings having claimed a record 28th career victory in Norway earlier this month. 

Round 1 winner Johan Kristoffersson
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Whilst a new era has begun, most of the drivers' either had minor technical gremlins or discovered issues with there cars, namely the Hansen World RX Team, who discovered that there center of gravity was poor due to the battery positioning, but despite those obstacles they were pressuring Kristoffersson as much as possible. 

Niclas Grönholm, who was the man to beat a year ago in Latvia returns with new team-mate Klara Andersson at the Construction Equipment Dealer Team. It was evident that the PWR RX1e machines lacked some pace to the Polo's and Peugeots. Marcus Gronholm also admitted that he's son was struggling to adapt he's driving style, whilst Andersson was exceptional on debut. 

After a few years out of the championship, Ole Christian Veiby made an impressive return with a top three finish in the second Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS Polo. The Norwegian will  be discovering a new track this weekend - the Bikernieki trase.

The third Volkswagen Polo RX1e driven by Gustav Bergstrom has some pace to find to challenge in the front runners, whilst Rene Munnich in the All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport Seat Ibiza finally got some mileage under he's belt in Norway after missing the pre-season test. 

The Bikerieki trase opens the opportunity for more action-packed racing this weekend, with it's tight turn-one, but trying to guess who will reign supreme in Latvia is anyone's guess. 

Having had one race weekend to gain some important information on set-up and performance - teams will take a step forward, and we can not wait to see who will triumph on Saturday and Sunday. 

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 - BIKERNIEKI TRASE, LATVIA.

THE TRACK: 

Located on the outskirts of the Latvian capital of Riga, the Biķernieki track is the country’s only permanent circuit, with a history dating back to the 1950s, when a temporary course was first constructed within the surrounding forest.

In 2016, Biķernieki joined the FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar, with a 1,295m layout. Incorporating sections of the race circuit, a long gravel zone through the wooded infield section and three jumps – two on the standard lap and one in the Joker – it immediately became a favorite amongst both drivers and fans.

TRACK LENGTH: 1.295m

NO. OF CORNERS: 12 

PREVIOUS WINNERS (2021) - Round 4 Niclas Grönholm

                                                   Round 5 Johan Kristoffersson

SURFACE: 60% Asphalt, 40% Gravel.

JOKER LAP LOSS: 3.3 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 - Ferratum World RX of Rīga-Latvia 2022

*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.

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Drivers):

Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 20 points

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 16 pts

Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 13 pts

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) 12pts

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) 11 pts

Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) 10 pts

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 9 pts

Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) 8 pts

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Teams):

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS 33 points

Hansen World RX Team 25 pts

Construction Equipment Dealer Team 23 pts

Rounds 2 and 3 - Ferratum World RX of Rīga-Latvia (CAT Times). 

SATURDAY:

PRACTICE: 09:00

SUPERPOLE: 10:25

HEAT 1: 12:10

HEAT 2: 13:40

PROGRESSION RACE: 15:10

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 17:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 18:00 [RX+ only]

SUNDAY:

WARM-UP: 09:05

SUPERPOLE: 09:35

HEAT 1: 11:10

HEAT 2: 13:25

PROGRESSION RACE: 14:55

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 17:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 18:00 [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.

Kristoffersson gets World RX title bid back on track with victory in Latvia.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Johan Kristoffersson has got his World RX title hopes back on track this weekend, as he claimed his first victory of the 2021 campaign on day two of the double-header weekend in Latvia. 

The three-time World Champion might have had a day to forget on Saturday afternoon, but with some overnight fine tunning his KYB EKS JC squad were able to unlock some speed, and that was seen straight from the morning warm-up. 

But come qualifying, it was Mattias Ekström who topped Q1 with Niclas Grönholm dominating Q2, Q3, with Timmy Hansen and Timo Scheider earning a place in the semi-final, as Johan led home the second semi-final ahead of Ekström and Kevin Hansen. 

The scene was set... Could Grönholm do the double? Or would we see a first-time winner? Well, before the final got underway, All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport's Timo Scheider entered the tyre warm-up zone, which ended with prop-shaft failure. 

Having failed to start the final, Krisztián Szabó entered the fray alongside Kevin Hansen on the third row of the grid (for the final). 

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The GRX-SET driver certainly had the pace and had great launches (starts) throughout the weekend certainly made him a favorite, but with Kristoffersson alongside on the front row, anything could possibly happen. Let the games begin!

Kristoffersson had a dream start and was a car length clear of Grönholm before turn one with Niclas coming out second best with Timmy Hansen in third followed by Szabo and Kevin Hansen fighting for position behind. 

On lap five, the Flying Finn tried an alternative strategy (took joker lap) but it was not enough, as Kristoffersson put his foot down, and with a final joker lap, he went on to claim his 25th career victory and his fourth on the Biķernieku trase (track). 

"I had a very good start. I had a steering lock up and I had to shift the gears there was a lot going on. The guys (team) really deserve this victory because as they have been working very, very hard," Kristoffersson said.

Having taken the top qualifiers spot earlier this afternoon, Niclas admitted that he did not have it within him to win in Latvia today.

"I really didn't have the best launch in the final, and then I tried to follow Johan as best as possible. I think I managed pretty well, but I just didn't have it in me to win it," Grönholm said. "In the final, it was just not quite enough. I think Johan saved his best tyres for the semi-final and final."

The 2021 FIA World Rallycross Championship now moves on to the World RX of Spa-Francorchamps from October 9-10.

"A quick car will be rewarded, whilst mistakes will be punished" in Riga double-header.

PHOTO CREDIT: Hansen Motorsport

The Hansen brothers' are heading to Latvia for rounds four and five of the FIA World Rallycross Championship this weekend, with the drivers' and teams' titles to defend after a trio of one-two finishes.

A strenuous schedule begins this week with the World RX of Latvia. Unlike the first three rounds of the season, this one is a double-header, with a full championship round taking place on each of the two days.

Having claimed two wins in the last two events in Sweden and France, Timmy has some good memories at the Biķernieki trase (track) has taken a victory in 2019 and a few other podium finishes.

"This is a track that I enjoy and has been good to me in the past. It’s another high-grip circuit, so taking what we learned from the last round in Lohéac into this one will be crucial," Timmy Hansen said. "As a double-header, it presents an extra challenge for myself, for the mechanics, and the whole team. That’s especially true of the mechanics, who will be pushing to keep the car in top condition from start to finish."

The 2019 World Champion is thrilled by the prospects of Mattias Ekström's one-off return with All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport this weekend. 

"It’s great to see Mattias Ekström coming back to the championship too, even if it’s only a one-off. We all know how fast he is and it’s great to have another world champion back on the grid to compete against," he said. "We saw in Spain that the car he’s driving is capable of being at the front, so I’m looking forward to competing against another of the strongest rallycross drivers out there this weekend."

His younger brother Kevin is hungry for more wins, having stood on the top step of the podium at the season opener in Spain earlier this season. The 23-year-old Swede still has the world title firmly in his sights, with only a 10-point deficit to Timmy.

"We’ve had three good weekends but with this double-header, a quick car will be rewarded even more than normal, while mistakes will be punished twice as hard. We’ll have to be on our toes as there’s one less qualifying session to make up lost ground," Kevin Hansen said.

"I think this format suits me and I’m looking forward to it. Riga is a really fun track; in terms of the circuit layout, it’s a little bit like Monaco, being a narrow track with lots of walls everywhere. But it’s also a track I want to step up at and do better at. I have some ideas on how to do improve here compared to years past and I hope my new way of working applies well to this style of track."

PREVIEW: Double points on offer at World RX of Riga.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross/Red Bull Content Pool

The FIA World Rallycross Championship races into Latvia this weekend – and with double points on offer, the stakes could be higher.

The opening three rounds of the season have seen some sensational action, with Hansen World RX Team leading the championship standings following victories for Timmy Hansen at Höljes and Lohéac and a curtain-raising victory for younger brother Kevin Hansen in Barcelona.

The Hansen brothers have not had things all their way, with rival Johan Kristoffersson matching them for pace at every event so far, but bad luck was the victor in every single case. The three-time World Champion had to fight back to finish third in Barcelona after being disqualified from Q1 and to rub more salt into his wounds, the Swede has failed to reach the final since, picking up a double puncture on home soil in Sweden and falling victim to transmission woes in France.

Fourth in the championship (as it stands), Kristoffersson, boasts a stellar record around the challenging Biķernieki trase (track), having won at the circuit three times since 2017. He is chasing more silverware this weekend as he aims to kick-start his fight for a fourth Drivers’ title.

"We have not had the margins on our side so far this year," Kristoffersson said. "That makes it tough in the championship table now, but we will continue to focus on the future, reload and be ready to fight in Riga."

GRX-SET's Niclas Grönholm opened his podium account last time out in France, having been convinced he had the speed to win. The flying Finn is another contender this weekend around a track where he clinched the runner-up spot two years ago.

Team-mate Krisztián Szabó is one of only four drivers in the championship to have reached the final in every event thus far, and his consistency sees him arrive in Latvia sitting third in the Drivers’ standings. 

Not only that, but he is a former winner around the Riga track, having triumphed at the circuit on his way to lifting the FIA European Rallycross Championship Super1600 in 2017.

Kevin Abbring, meanwhile, has arguably been the revelation of the campaign so far, unleashing race-winning pace in Sweden only to be foiled by traffic. With the form that both the Dutchman are showing, it is surely a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ he secures his maiden World RX victory.

Timo Scheider returns... and is another driver who can certainly not be discounted, and the rapid German will be partnered at ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport by two-time DTM and 2016 World Champion Mattias Ekström.

Ekström has never finished lower than second in five previous appearances in Riga, including a trip to the top step of the podium last year. Although the Swede will be adapting to a new team and car... LET THE RACING BEHIND! 

THE TRACK:

Located on the outskirts of the Latvian capital of Riga, the Biķernieki track is the country’s only permanent circuit, with a history dating back to the 1950s, when a temporary course was first constructed within the surrounding forest.

In 2016, Biķernieki joined the FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar, with a 1,295m layout. Incorporating sections of the race circuit, a long gravel zone through the wooded infield section and three jumps – two on the standard lap and one in the Joker – it immediately became a favorite amongst both drivers and fans.

Track Length: 1.295m

2020 Winners: ROUND 5: Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS)

                         ROUND 6: Mattias Ekstrom (KYB Team JC)

Fastest lap: Johan Kristoffersson 48.099s (in semi-finals)

Asphalt/Dirt: 60%/40%

Joker Lap Loss: 3.3 seconds (approximately)

2021 FIA World Rallycross Championship standings (drivers):

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 85 pts

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 75 points

Krizstian Szabo (GRX-SET) 58 pts

Johan Kristoffersson (KYB EKS JC) 57 pts

Kevin Abbring (UNKORRUPTED) 55 pts

Niclas Gronholm (GRX-SET) 51 pts

Enzo Ide (KYB EKS JC) 37 pts

Timo Scheider (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) 31 pts

Juha Rytkonen 25 pts

Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) 16 pts

Attila Mozer 13 pts

Peter Hedstrom 11 pts

Oliver O'Donovan 10 pts

Herve Knapick 9 pts

Tamas Karai 9 pts

Oliver Bennett (Xite Racing Team) 8 pts

Mandie August (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) 4 pts

Patrick Guillerme 2 pts

Dan Oberg 1 pt

Round 4 and 5 World RX of Riga Schedule (CET Times)

SATURDAY:

PRACTICE: 09:30

Q1: 11:06

Q2: 13:06

Q3: 14:30

Semi-Finals and Final: (from) 16:00

Grid Wrap Up Show: 17:00 [RX+ only]

SUNDAY:

WARM-UP: 09:00

Q1: 10:06

Q2: 12:06

Q3: 14:06

Semi-Finals and Final: (from) 16:00

Grid Wrap Up Show: 17:00 [RX+ only]

FREE LIVESTREAM

Red Bull TV (FINALS) ROUND 5 & 6 [Satuday and Sunday] - at 15:45 UTC+2 - https://www.redbull.com/int-en/events/fia-world-rallycross-championship-latvia

Former World Champion Ekström to make unexpected return at Riga.

PHOTO CREDIT: ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport

Former World Champion Mattias Ekström will return to the FIA World Rallycross Championship for the double-header event in Latvia this weekend, joining the ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport team.

Having ruled out a return to World RX at the end of the 2020 season, Ekström admitted that Extreme E was his sole focus, but earlier today that changed as he has confirmed an unexpected return to the World Championship.

With 58 World RX starts under his name, the Swede clinched the coveted crown in 2016 and has finished as runner-up in the standings on three other occasions. 

Ekström is a 12-time event-winner, making him statistically the second-most successful competitor in World Championship history – and the most recent of those victories was achieved in Latvia last season.

After a year away from the World Championship, he is looking forward to renewing battles with his old sparring partners this weekend. 

"I’m very excited to go to Riga with ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport for several reasons," Ekström said. "Firstly, I think the car has been performing really well lately and René [Münnich] proved that with a Euro RX1 win in France."

"Secondly, I really like the Riga track, and the fact that it will be a double-header weekend means there will be a lot of track time. And most importantly, driving a World RX Supercar is the best preparation possible for the racing activities that I do. With 600 horsepower and nearly 1000Nm, these are the fastest cars to drive and to keep myself race-ready.

"I will do everything I can in Riga to get a trophy for ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport because they have been fighting for a long time and really deserve it. We have two chances this weekend to achieve this goal."

ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport has impressed this season by competing consistently at the front end of the field, with Timo Scheider vying for the podium in both Spain and France, with Rene Münnich racing to his and the team’s maiden European Championship triumph last time out at Lohéac. 

For the first time in competitive rallycross, Mattias Ekström will drive something other than an Audi S1 Supercar, as he teams up with former DTM team-mate Timo Scheider to race a Seat Ibiza Supercar. 

The Hansen brothers headline 11-car field for World RX of Riga double-header.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The FIA has released the official entry list for Ferratum World RX of Rīga on 18-19 September 2021. 

And guess what? The championship is only just heating up after the third round of the season at Lohéac in France last weekend, with a tantalizing title fight in prospect between Hansen brothers Timmy and Kevin and reigning champion Johan Kristoffersson, who has endured a tough start to the campaign due to penalties, punctures, and technical issues, but whose raw speed is certainly not in doubt.

Can three-time World Champion fight back in Latvia? He certainly can! 

In addition to the permanent entrants, Juha Rytkönen, Dan Öberg, and Timo Scheider will also head into battle in Latvia, while ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport has added a second car to its entry for a yet-to-be-named driver.

Riga to host World RX double-header in September.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

FIA World Rallycross Championship competitors and fans can look forward to a double dose of action in Riga later this year, with the formal confirmation that the popular Latvian event will become a double-header in 2021, increasing the overall number of rounds to nine. 

The decision to add an extra round to the Riga race weekend was taken in order to protect the calendar should any circumstances change against the backdrop of the ongoing global pandemic.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

The Biķernieki track has been a fixture on the World RX schedule since 2016, with a long gravel section through the wooded infield and no fewer than three jumps making it an instant favourite amongst both drivers and fans.

In evidence of the circuit’s challenging nature, the six rounds held there to date have all been won by World Rallycross Champions Johan Kristoffersson, Mattias Ekström, and Timmy Hansen, and nine-time FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb.

September’s doubleheader will offer drivers two chances to add their names to that illustrious winner's list.

"The Latvian organisers proved last year that they are more than capable of successfully staging a double-header event, and it means fans can look forward to even more exciting action this season around the Biķernieki circuit, which has invariably generated spectacular racing since joining the World Championship in 2016. We have no doubt that September’s event will deliver more of the same," Arne Dirks, Executive Director, Rallycross Promoter GmbH, said.

Raimonds Strokšs, the Director of the World RX of Riga-Latvia admits that despite the additional work coming with a double-header, he is sure that his team and partners are ready to tackle the challenges that come with hosting a double-header event.

"There is much greater responsibility when organising a double-header event – an increased number of races accordingly increases the amount of work required for everything to run smoothly – but I believe that we, our partners and all our service providers are more than ready to bring their best and maintain the high-quality standard set by the events hosted in Latvia," Strokšs said.

Kristoffersson extends championship lead with dominant win in Latvia.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX. 

Johan Kristoffersson took his 23rd career victory of the FIA World Rallycross Championship in Riga-Latvia, after a well-executed tyre strategy. 

Despite posting the fastest time in Q1, Kristoffersson used an alternate tyre strategy, which put in on the back foot against his rivals in Q3 (on new tyres). But the Swede would have the upperhand in the semi-final and final with five new tyres. He finished the three qualifying heats in second-place overall behind Niclas Gronholm (in the immediate classification) and rubber stamped a place in the semi-finals. 

Semi-final one saw Mattias Ekstrom start on used tyres, but that was no disadvantage for the Swede, as he immediately sweeped around the outside and into the lead after a good start, and he would control the race all the way to the checkered flag. 

While Johan Kristoffersson unleashed three new tyres (two on the front and one on the left rear). He had a superb launch off the line and led from start to finish. And, that was not all... he also produced the fastest lap of the day, a 48.391 second lap. 

Starting on pole position for the final, Kristoffersson was the only driver with new tyres (front tyres) and had a good launch off the line, only to be challenged by KYB Team JC's Robin Larsson who clipped the rear of Johan's Polo supercar, then was spun around the front of Mattias Ekstrom. While Kevin Hansen sweeped around the outside of Ekstrom to claimed P2 after the 2016 champion backed off due to the turn two melee. Facing the wrong way at turn two, Larsson was hit by Gronholm who was intern hit by Timmy Hansen. 

Clear from all the bumping and grinding behind, Kristoffersson pulled a two-second gap to pursuing Kevin [Hansen] who tried to make an impact, but with an early joker lap strategy. The Team Hansen driver would fall behind Mattias Ekstrom, and would ultimately finish behind his older brother Timmy Hansen. 

The untouchable Kristoffersson crossed line 3.468 seconds ahead of Mattias Ekstrom and Timmy Hansen, to claim his third win of the 2020 World RX season and also extend his Championship lead to 21 points.

"This feels very good. We were really pushing hard in Q2 and Q3, I was not really able to pull off the best times, but instead we had some good tyres for the semi-final and final so I think we had a big jump on our competitors or terms of tyres, then we had two good starts, and everything is much easier when you have fresh tyres," Kristoffersson said. "Big thanks to the team, we made some changes between Q3 and the semi-final and it actually made the car better so that feels good to gamble and go in the right direction."

Ekstrom’s second-place finish in Riga-Lativia is his 25th podium finish of his career and he admits that in order to beat Johan Kristoffersson, he needs to be spot on with everything he does. 

"The first corner of the final was a little bit too exciting, I don’t know exactly what happened to Robin, we’ll have to watch the television, but it was a bit messy and after I drove as fast as I could behind Kevin. After he jokered I had a clear track and ended up P2. For sure that was not our wish when we came here, we wanted to win but during qualifying we were not good enough so we couldn’t do good enough starts so we couldn’t be at the front in Q1 and Q2," Ekstrom said.

"When you’re on the back foot then you have to try and recover and I think P2 is a good recovery, but you need to be spot on to win these races especially when the other guys are in top shape as well."

Timmy Hansen's third-place finish meant it was an all-Swedish top three and also ensured that the podium was filled by World RX Drivers’ Champions (Kristoffersson 2017-18, Ekstrom 2016, Hansen 2019).

The Team Hansen driver is rather pleased with a podium finish after a hard-fought day in Riga. "We had a tough day. We see glimpses of really good performance, some good launches and I’ve been fastest on lap time many times today, but you know when you’re not upfront then it’s not easy," he said. "We need to improve those launches so we can be at the front of the races from the beginning. I must say coming in third is really good and I’m super happy about that. The team has worked so hard and it is paying off, but at this level, it’s a slow process to gain speed, but I’m quite confident tomorrow will be even better."

Kevin Hansen brought his Peugeot 208 across the line in fourth-place after avoiding the turn two melee but was unable to make inroads on Kristoffersson or Ekstrom, while top qualifier Niclas Gronholm finished in fifth followed by Robin Larsson in sixth-place.

While Johan [Kristoffersson] has a 100% record of converting front row starts to victories on Saturday's, he is yet to win an event on Sunday [double-header], and thus could be called a Saturday man. However, if he is able to put it all together on a Sunday, he will climb onto the top step of the podium. 

Despite winning this afternoon in Riga-Lativa, the Swede will already have a plan for the sixth round six the FIA World Rallycross Championship tomorrow at the Bikernieki track in Latvia.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

PREVIEW: The forests of Bikernieki will come alive to the sound of World RX.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media. 

After four thrilling rounds, the FIA World Rallycross Championship is back! This time around the action-packed championship heads to the Latvian capital, Riga for rounds five and six.  

And, guess what? For the first time this season, spectators will be allowed to attend a World RX event, but in limited numbers though (a maximum 3000) with strict coronavirus control measures in place. 

The Neste World Rallycross of Riga features two separate FIA World Rallycross Championship events, one full event – comprising three rounds of qualifying races, semi-finals, and the final – taking place each day. 

WORLD RX CHAMPIONSHIP: 

The start to the season was initially delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic but thus far four championships rounds have been completed across two venues; Holjes (Sweden) and Kouvola (Finland). 

Returning double world champion Johan Kristoffersson has led from the front, and has established a healthy 17-point lead at the top of the championship standings, his closest rival being Mattias Ekstrom. 

Ekstrom (the 2016 World Champion) has returned to the championship this year with KYB Team JC after Jānis Baumanis was hit by financial issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Swede claimed victory at round two of the championship on home soil and has firmly cemented himself in championship contention (second-place overall). 

Earlier this week, KYB Team JC announced that Ekstrom will return for the Latvian double-header alongside Robin Larsson who is currently sixth in the championship. 

Finn Niclas Gronholm heads to Latvia with a good boost after winning his home round in Kouvola and currently holds third place in the drivers' standings. His teammate, Timur Timerzyanov who is currently in tenth-place, is hoping for better pace this weekend. 

While reigning world champion Timmy Hansen has not had the start to the season that he had expected but hopes to take steps forward this weekend after three days of testing in Sweden. Timmy and younger brother Kevin Hansen are currently in fourth and fifth place in the standings. 

Timo Scheider (ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport) claimed a third-place finish in Sweden (round 1) and is placed seventh after being in the final at three of the first four rounds. His teammate Rene Muennich has had a more difficult start to the year and is 16th after four rounds.

Andreas Bakkerud has also had a tough start to the season, but has made it to the final in rounds two and four and is eight in the standings, while his Monster Energy GCK RX Cartel teammate Liam Doran will be hoping for better fortunes in Latvia after suffering from a series of technical issues, which sees the Brit bringing up the rear in 21st place. 

GCK Bilstein's Anton Marklund had a strong start to the season in Sweden, but faded away in Kouvola, claiming an 11th and 12th place finish, which sees him currently placed ninth, while the UNKORRUPTED pairing of Rokas Baciuska and Guerlain Chicherit will be aiming for stronger results in their newly developed Renault Clio R.S. RX supercars. 

Jani Paasonen is back for more in his Ferratum Team’s Ford Fiesta as is Krisztian Szabo who raced in Sweden and holds 12th place in the standings with GRX SET.

Latvia star Reinis Nitiss will make his World RX return with ESmotorsport Eigesta WRX Team this weekend driving Skoda Fabia EVO WRX. 

ROUND FIVE - Q1 DRAW (GRID)

THE TRACK

The World RX track is constructed within the historic race circuit that threads its way through the forest at Bikernieki. Created for the 2016 World RX in Riga – the first time the championship visited Latvia – the rallycross track is 1295m in length and consists of 60% unsealed and 40% asphalt surfaces, with a track record time of 48.485s. The track includes three jumps, two of them on the joker lap. Meanwhile, the joker and standard lap runs parallel to each other.

Turn Three: This fast, wide-radius left-hander requires pure commitment but also a bit of patience. A quick exit is crucial to avoid being overtaken on the long run to a hard braking zone at turn four but the wall on the exit has caught out several drivers in the last four years.

Turn Five: It's hard to make up time here, but it's very easy to lose it. This seemingly never-ending right-hander is one of the few gravel turns on the track and anyone who gets greedy with the throttle is likely to slide wide and leave the door open for anyone lurking behind them.

The Joker Merge: It's often elbows-out at Latvia's joker exit, which is located at the final corner of the lap. Drivers on a joker lap have the inside line for the corner, but those on the standard lap can take more speed out of the turn. That often leads to side-by-side jostling to the finish line in close races!

BROADCAST TIMES and SCHEDULE for Rounds 5 & 6 of the Neste World RX of Riga-Latvia (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 Five (19 September 2020)

Free Practice: Saturday 7:30 am

Q1: 9:20 am

Q2: 10:45 am

Q3: 12:10 pm

Semi-Finals and Final: 15:00 pm

Round Six (20 September 2020)

Warm-Up: 8:00 am

Q1: 8:40 am

Q2: 10:10 am

Q3: 12:10 pm

Semi-Finals and Final: 15:00 pm

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Kouvola wins gives GRX Taneco 'good boost' ahead of Latvian double-header.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media.

The condensed 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar has seen the first four rounds hosted at two venues, a truly grueling start to the season for all involved, and this is no different for GRX Taneco. 

Whilst the Finnish squad ended the 2019 season on a high note in South Africa. They expected to have a much stronger start to the 2020 season. And despite, the victory in Kouvola two weeks ago for Niclas Grönhom, the team and drivers have had their fair share of bad luck in the first four rounds of the championship, which they hope to turnaround this weekend in Riga.  

The quick turnaround times required for double-headers in 2020, has been a taxing affair for all involved including the drivers. 

"It’s been quite tough these first 4 races of the season," Niclas Grönhom said. "We have had some bad luck and struggled with the car sometimes."

Grönhom clinched his first win of the season on home soil in Kouvola by the slimmest of margins (0.3s) and admits that the race victory will give GRX Taneco a good boost ahead of the third double-header in Latvia.

"The podiums in Finland, of course, gives a good boost that our team needed, and I feel that we are well prepared for Latvia," he said. "The track in Riga is very nice and I enjoy going back there again this year!"

Timur Timerzyanov has had his fair share of misfortunes this season but managed to claim a podium finish at round four in Finland.

"The team has worked very hard over the last few weeks and we have made big steps forward and I feel that we have gotten our mojo back," Timerzyanov said.

Despite competing in World RX since it's inception in 2014, the Russian has found the Bikernieki race track in Latvia to be very challenging and was only able to claim a fifth-place finish last year. 

"Riga has always been a very challenging track for me personally, but I aim to turn my luck around and hopefully we can see another double podium," he said.

Krisztián Szabó will drive the third Hyundai i20 run by Set Promotion this weekend. And, while he did not make either of the finals in Höljes, Sweden. His form throughout the Swedish double-header was first-class. 

The Hungarian claimed a tenth-place finish in Latvia last year, in his EKS Audi S1, but will hope for stronger results this weekend.

"I really can’t wait to race again in Riga," he said "It’s a very long, fast and technical track with big jumps and a beautiful environment. I can say that this is my favorite venue of the season and it will be great to race in front of rallycross fans." 

"I had a chance to test here in the very beginning of the year with the Hyundai i20 Supercar, so I feel confident and I'm hoping for a good result."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Ekström to continue championship charge with KYB Team JC

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

2016 World Champion Mattias Ekström will continue with KYB Team JC this weekend, at the Latvian double-header in Riga. 

Ekström was drafted into the team just before the first rounds of the season in Höljes after Jānis Baumanis was hit by financial issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this week, Ekström was announced as the first driver for the new Cupra-backed Abt Extreme E team for 2021, and he will continue to race with KYB Team JC after being given permission by Cupra to race in the Latvian double-header this weekend.

"It’s been a pretty cool week for me, with the launch of the Extreme E programme with CUPRA for 2021," Ekström said. "That’s really exciting, and big thanks to ABT and CUPRA for allowing me to go to Riga for the next World RX races."

The Swede's return after a one-year hiatus has been first-class having won the second round of the championship in Höljes, and lies second in the Drivers' Championship only 17 points behind Johan Kristofferssson.   

"The first four races turned out pretty fine with three podiums, so being second in the championship and to be leading the Teams’ Championship, I’m in a situation I didn’t expect," the double world champion said. "I felt a bit obliged to do my very best to go to Riga, I want to continue supporting the JC team as much as I can."

In his three previous starts in Riga, Ekström finished second in the final every time (2016,17,18) and will aim to climb onto the top step of the podium this weekend.  

"We are very happy to have Mattias back in the team," said Joel Christoffersson, KYB Team JC, Team Principal. "I didn’t know if it would be possible for him to come to Latvia, but I’m thankful to CUPRA for letting us have him in the team for the event. It’s great that we can continue with the same team setup that we have had so far this year because we were very successful in the first two weekends of the season."

Whilst Joel Christoffersson has one eye on World RX Teams' Championship, he admits that KYB Team JC are aiming to close the gap to Kristoffersson in an aim to claim both World RX titles this season.

"I’m looking forward to continuing the fight for the Teams’ Championship but obviously, we are second in the Drivers’ Championship too and we are not giving up that fight in trying to do our best to close the gap up to Johan [Kristoffersson]," he said.

Written By - Junaid Samodien