"An amazing feeling" to win Teams' Championship in first year as KYB Team JC - Joel Christoffersson.

PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik

In a shortened but challenging season, KYB Team JC has come out on top in their maiden season in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

Winning a  championship in a maiden season is something very hard to come by for any motorsport team, but this season KYB Team JC was leading from start to finish, and come out on top with their nearest rival only 16 points behind in the 2020 World RX Teams' Championship standings. 

Whilst Johan Kristoffersson led the way in the drivers' championship standings from the get-go, his direct rival Mattias Ekström did not make it easy for him. Winning two events of eight on his way to second in the championship for the third time in his career.

After eight rounds in four different countries, despite the challenges surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the ninth and final round of the World RX set to take place at the Nurburgring in Germany was officially cancelled yesterday handing KYB Team JC the teams' championship. 

JC Raceteknik under the stewardship of Joel Christoffersson enjoyed great success in rallycross through the years having won the European Rallycross Championship last year with Robin Larsson, and four titles in the RallyX Nordic series. However, after acquiring two 2019 specification Audi S1 Quattro's from EKS. The Varmland-based team took a leap to World RX as KYB Team JC in pursuit of the ultimate prize - the drivers' and teams' championships. Whilst they failed to achieve the drivers' title, the teams' title in their first year is an incredible achievement. 

"I started JC Raceteknik in 2014 with a dream to race in the World Championship at some stage, so to already win the Teams’ Championship in the first year of World RX as KYB Team JC is difficult to top," Joel Christoffersson, JC Raceteknik & KYB Team JC, Team Principal, said.

"To be World Champions is an amazing feeling. Before the season this was my goal, and to have led from the start only makes it better! Due to Covid-19, the season started late, and although it is, of course, a shame not to be able to finish and celebrate on-site at the Nurburgring, it feels good to be able to tie the knot."

Robin Larsson returned to World RX after a one-year hiatus with KYB Team JC, and was initially set to be joined by Jānis Baumanis. However, due to budgetary issues linked to the pandemic, the Latvian season would be over before it even started.

Surprise!! It was quite a surprise, as Mattias Ekström returned to the championship after retiring from a full-time drive at the end of the 2018 season. 

But was it a full-time drive in 2020, initially the Swede was signed up for the first double-header of the season, which grew to the second double-header and the rest is history after he negotiated with sponsors and clients to remain racing for the remainder of the season. 

It was quite a season, seeing Mattias closer to Johan Kristoffersson than ever before finishing just 27 points behind the three-time World Champion. 

"Mattias and Robin have done a fantastic job. I think we have given Johan and Kristoffersson Motorsport a good fight this year – we are the team that challenged them the most," Christoffersson said. "Mattias has done what he can throughout the season and we are really happy with his second place in the Drivers’ Championship. This is the first and probably only time he will race in a full season with us and it has been an honour to have him on the team."

"Robin has stepped up and shown that the pace he had in the European Championship last year has continued. Unfortunately, he was both unlucky and made a couple of mistakes of his own, otherwise, I think he would have had a great chance to get top three in the Drivers’ Championship."

The 2020 FIA World Rallycross season has not been easy by any stretch of the imagination. With eight rounds condensed into four weekends, and the slightest mistake not only costing time to repair but it forces teams to put in additional hours. 

This season has also seen KYB Team JC taking the biggest step in performance overnight during the double-header weekends, and despite Kristoffersson getting out of the blocks the quickest, he finished behind Mattias at two events this year, in Sweden (round 2) and Latvia (round 2).

"I’m very grateful for all of the hard work by everyone in KYB Team JC and JC Raceteknik this season. It has not been an easy year for anyone, and everyone has fought really hard," he said. 

"Also a big thank you to all our partners who lined up despite these tough times, without them we would not have been able to take the World Championship title. Now the whole team will reload and work on trying to find a plan for 2021."

Ekström's KYB Team JC Audi Supercar with the Teams' Championship trophy and Vice-Champion trophy.
PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik.

One could say without Mattias' guidance and experience, the team might not have won the championship this season. As he is not only a master tactician but is also well versed in set-up and improving a race car. Whilst the Swede might not be happy with a second-place finish for the third time, he was a lot closer to the Kristoffersson (the 2020 champion) this year. 

"I got into this season without having a thought of driving rallycross again, and we sit here with the title in the Teams’ Championship and second in the Drivers’ Championship. The only other goal was of course to also win the Drivers' title, but we were simply not fast enough," Ekström said. "Everyone knows Johan's capacity and at the same time as his car is very good, but I think we gave both him and the team a good fight. Then Robin has, in my eyes, taken the biggest step and it has been fun to see his maximum level rise."

The 2016 champion labels the season-opening weekend in Sweden (double-header) and the World RX of Latvia double-header, as the coolest rallycross races of his career having claimed a second-place finish and a win at both events. 

"It has meant a lot to me to compete and have fun again together with JC Raceteknik, driving as a hobby instead of as a factory driver is a huge difference. In Holjes for example I had the coolest rallycross race of my career on Saturday, and then another fantastic Sunday in Riga," he said.

"I think it went better than expected to complete the season despite Coronavirus. We had a little trouble with some things, but that's also part of the rules of the game. It's fun that there are sponsors and companies who are willing to invest even in tougher times, especially since a lot of things have been quite last minute. I am also very proud to see how KYB has developed shock absorbers that can win the World Championship."

The 2019 EuroRX champion Robin Larsson admits that Ekström was very important to the team this season, and he was able to learn from the 2016 champion. 

"Mattias has been very important to the team and to me too. Being able to race in a full World Championship season with him has made me learn things all the time - with setup, driving on the track, and to recharge between races," he said.

The 2020 season has not been the smoothest for Larsson who only brought home a podium finish in Latvia (Riga) despite making the finals at four rounds this year. 

"My season has gone a bit up and down. In Riga, I had very good speed and finished on the podium together with Mattias," Larsson said. "Otherwise, I struggled with small errors and problems that cost a lot, while I also made some mistakes."

"The double-header events have also been difficult and costly if something goes wrong, but it is the same for everyone."

Larsson hoped that the teams' championship would be decided in Germany with a good old fight with the Hansen brothers.

"I would have liked to have decided the season on-site in Germany from a team perspective, where we would have had a battle between us and the Hansen brothers for the title," he said.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Kristoffersson and KYB Team JC declared champions as World RX finale is called off.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

The final round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship set to take place at the Nürburgring (Germany) on 12-13 December has been cancelled, consequently crowning Johan Kristoffersson as the 2020 World RX drivers' champion and KYB Team JC teams' champions for the 2020 season. 

The 2020 season was due to start in April this year, but due to the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the start of the season was delayed to August. This, in turn, meant that adjustments were made to the calendar, which saw rounds in Norway, France, Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Portugal, and Belgium all cancelled due to a rise in coronavirus cases.

With Germany set to make its debut appearance on the World RX calendar in August, the event was moved to mid-December. 

"In light of continued health concerns regarding COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the organizer of the World Rallycross of Germany, scheduled to take place 12-13 December, has decided to cancel the final event of the 2020 FIA World Rallycross season," the statement from World RX said. "A number of options were explored in the hopes of moving forward with this event, but unfortunately, it was not possible in the end."

Although the Nürburgring proved over recent months that events with spectators also work in the context of infection protection, the situation is now a different one due to the sharp rise in the number of infections in Germany. Thus forcing the cancellation of the 2020 event. However, World RX will return to the Nürburgring in 2021.

"We were all very much looking forward to this premiere at our race track," the Nürburgring Managing Director Mirco Markfort said. "The FIA World Rallycross Championship is an entertaining and action-packed format that further enriches our portfolio. Nevertheless, this decision is essential for the benefit of all involved and their health". 

The cancellation of the World RX of Germany, unfortunately, means that the season has effectively ended at the Barcelona double-header held last month. And with a 27-point lead in the championship standings, Johan Kristoffersson is a World Rallycross Champion for a third time. Whilst KYB Team JC are the 2020 FIA World Rallycross teams' champions.

"We offer our warmest congratulations to Johan and the KYB Team JC for their well-deserved titles,” said Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of Motorsports Events at IMG. “We are disappointed we were not able to hold our final event in Germany, but are very proud of the season we were able to produce throughout these unprecedented times, and our deepest gratitude goes to all our event organisers, partners and fans for their patience and continued support through it all."

The EuroRX and Super1600 championships have also ended prematurely following the cancellation of the World RX of Germany, which was set to host a third and final round of the season. However, due to the series not reaching a third round, it means that the season did not meet the FIA championship requirement, and thus no champions will be crowned. 

The premature conclusion of the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship also marks the end of an era. An era of growth, success, and global reach that many championships could only dream of, and that all came down to the hard work of IMG, commercial rights holders of the World Rallycross Championship. 

Despite signing a lengthy deal with the FIA to hold the commercial rights to the championship since 2013, the British promoter announced that they will end the agreement at the end of this season. And, whilst the future of World RX remains uncertain with a new promoter, the FIA are currently working to appoint a new promoter for the World RX championship for 2021 and beyond.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

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

Ekström hopes to return, while KYB Team JC claim double podium in Lativa.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX.

Mattias Ekström claimed his twelfth career victory at the Neste World RX of Riga (Latvia) at round six of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, to remain in contention for a potential second title. 

It was another relatively strong weekend for KYB Team JC in Riga-Latvia. On Saturday (round five), both drivers made the final, while Mattias finished second after winning his semi-final and Robin Larsson brought his Audi S1 across the line in sixth. 

Whilst round five wasn't an ideal result for the team, they worked hard overnight and found some improvements, as KYB Team JC claimed there first-ever double World RX podium finish, with Mattias on the top step and Larsson in third-place. 

"What a fantastic result. We had a good day on Saturday, but we struggled a bit with the tyres, so it was good to get a P2 and both cars in the final," Joel Christoffersson, KYB Team JC Team Principal said. 

"We had a good debrief overnight and really put our heads together to try and find a setup to try to manage the tyres as well as possible. We worked late, and today it paid off. We had the pace in the morning and through the day, the semi-final went just as we planned, and then in the final, I was a little curious about how Robin wold get on because we didn’t have as many new tyres for him as we did for Mattias, but it was such a nice feeling to get both cars on the podium."

"I’m almost happier for Robin than Mattias because we have worked so hard with Robin and he’s driven so well but we’ve never had the last luck to be on the podium," Christoffersson adds. "Now finally he could step up there and it’s a huge relief for him. It’s so nice to have two top drivers in the team and it’s fun to be looking at the points in both championships."

Joel Christoffersson hopes that Mattias can complete the season with his team.

"There aren't many races left still and I guess I need to call Mattias and try to discuss what we can do in the future. Hopefully, CUPRA and ABT can let us have him back again," he said.

Ekström made a surprising return to World RX this season with KYB Team JC and has brought the team to the forefront with his wise tactical decisions and setups skills. It's also worth noting that the Audi S1 Quattro was built for him by Audi Sport in 2018. 

The 2016 World Champion took a maximum points haul on Sunday at the Bikerneiki Sports Complex to close the gap to World RX Championship leader Johan Kristoffersson to 17 points.

For the first time in 2020, championship leader Johan Kristoffersson did not win a qualifying session. The only time Ekström was beaten throughout the day was by teammate Robin Larsson in Q3. 

"For me, Sunday in Riga turned out very special, after being dead last in the Q1 grid draw really means having no draw at all, just to take the place that’s left over. It was feeling like a big challenge, but after a good start and a clean Q1, that was the base for our weekend," Ekström said. "Then to win again in Q2 was another key. For Q3 we were just doing tyre management to save the best for the semi-final and final. That was a big strategic thing." 

"I can’t say about enough about our starts because that was a key to success too. Robin finished P2 in the semi-final which was very good and important points for the team, and then the final battle with Johan, such a close race from the start into the first corner and all the laps he was on my bumper. I did no mistakes and in the end, finished in front. It felt amazing and probably one of the best victories."

Heading into the Latvian double-header, Ekström was announced as the first driver for CUPRA's entry into Extreme E next year and was given permission by ABT and CUPRA to race in Riga. 

"I can’t wait to go home and digest this one and to call the guys at CUPRA and ABT to say thanks for the permission to come here and do this race, and I will also ask for permission to go to the next races," the Swede said. "I hope I will be able to give an update on this soon because that’s what the team wants and what I want also."

Reigning Euro RX and RallyX Nordic Champion Robin Larsson used a good race strategy to finish in third place, his first World RX podium with KYB Team JC, which moved him up to fifth in the Drivers’ Championship.

"I didn’t expect to be as high in the Intermediate Classification on Sunday after the tiny mistake in Q2. We had to use four new tyres in Q3 to go for it to get the fastest time. It went well, and made up a bit for the really disappointing Q2," Larsson said. 

"I knew then we couldn’t fight for the win when we used those tyres because you need them so much at the end, so I just tried to be behind Mattias in the semi, and it ended up really well in the final with Niclas Gronholm behind and I could really push on the lap that we took the joker."

"I’m more relieved than happy, that we could show pace, especially for me on this track, I’ve never been fast here and struggled before a lot," he adds. "I’ve tried to look at Mattias and the v-Box and everything to get as much data as I could. I’m really happy for Mattias and the team for the double podium. Finally!"

The next two rounds of World RX championship takes place in Barcelona, Spain on October 17-18. 

Written By - Junaid Samodien

"No point to cry over spilt milk" as Ekström claims second-place finish in challenging Kouvola double header.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX. 

2016 World Champion Mattias Ekström finished second in round four of the World Rallycross Championship at Kouvola in Finland, while KYB Team JC maintained their lead in the Teams’ championship standings.

With four races in nine days for the start of the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship, the third and fourth rounds were held in Finland.

On day one, Ekström was again straight on the pace and qualified second in the Intermediate Classification, then was second in the semi-finals, but a rare electrical problem on the second lap saw him retire from the race. Robin Larsson had initially struggled on the Tykkimäki Circuit but made a great start in Q3 to set the second-fastest time. And, despite making the semi-finals, he retired with a puncture.

The heavens opened for round four of the championship (on Sunday), and in wet and tricky conditions, Ekström qualified third and was second in his semi-final to make it into the final. In the final, he pushed hard throughout the race and in a battle for the podium positions in the final corner, finished second behind Niclas Gronhölm. 

"Finishing second feels pretty okay. It's no secret that I compete to win, and to come second is very close. On Saturday things looked good in the semi-finals, but then the day came to an abrupt end, which was not fun for any of us," Ekström said. "Today I thought we made good laps, but didn’t have perfect starts. That makes things difficult. But, we had good speed this weekend and that’s always positive."

"Of course we want to be at the top of the championship, and to see Johan [Kristoffersson] pull away is not what we want, but there is no point to cry over spilt milk."

Reigning EuroRX champion Robin Larsson had a more difficult time. He was ninth in the Intermediate Classification after the four qualifiers but finished fifth in his semi-final when the windscreen wipers stopped working in the muddy conditions.

"It hasn’t been an easy weekend for me, things just haven’t been going my way. When you have double-header events there are not many opportunities to make changes because the days are quite intense," Larsson said. 

"On Saturday we had good pace in Q3, but I had a puncture in the semi-final. Then on Sunday I was unlucky with the start positions and didn’t really find the pace we wanted."

"I had a place for the final in the bag on Sunday but the windscreen wipers broke, and that was it. Now I’m focused on Riga and I’m fully motivated. There are still many points to race for."

Larsson believes that the only way he can improve is to compare himself to teammate Mattias Ekström.

"It’s been good to have someone like Mattias to compare myself with. Because of that, I’ve been able to see what I’m doing wrong and work on it. Without him there, it would be easy to get grumpy and more frustrated."

KYB Team JC continues to lead the Teams’ Championship, by 19 points, whilst Ekström is also still second in the Drivers’ Championship. Larsson is now sixth.

"We have a good lead in the Teams’ championship, even if we gave away a few points there. We will continue to work hard before Riga, we seem to have a car that will suit us there," Joel Christoffersson, KYB Team JC, Team Principal, said. "But, unfortunately in the Drivers’ championship, we lost a lot of points to Johan. But after the problems we had on Saturday, we have to live with that and use it to motivate us to work even harder."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Mixed emotions for Larsson after strong showing in Sweden.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX.

Reigning EuroRX and RallyX Nordic Champion Robin Larsson made a competitive return to the FIA World Rallycross Championship last weekend with KYB Team JC, ending the Holjes doubleheader second in the drivers' standings. 

Larsson returned to World RX for a one-off outing in Latvia, as a gift from JC Raceteknik after clinching the 2019 EuroRX Championship with one round to spare. Despite a strong event, a disqualification in the second qualifying heat meant the Swede was not able to progress to the final despite a fightback. 

Whilst Robin raced with JC Raceteknik in 2019, the Swedish outfit announced it will compete in the World RX championship in 2020 under a new team banner "KYB Team JC". 

KYB Team JC originally planned for Larsson and Janis Baumanis to contest the full-season, but due to financial problems caused by the coronavirus. 2016 World Champion Mattias Ekström was called upon to step in for the season opener. 

It was a successful doubleheader on home soil for KYB Team JC with a win and a second-place for 2016 World RX Champion Mattias Ekström. 

Larsson started his season with a consistently fast pace but missed a final start in round one due to a five-second penalty. While on Sunday in round two, he continued to impress, and beat teammate Ekström to win semi-final two. In the final, he was in the running for the podium but due a puncture had to settle for fifth.

The Swedish outfit leads the team standings' by 28-points, and drivers Ekstrom and Robin Larsson hold second and third in the Drivers’ Standings heading to Kouvala in Finland.

“It was a good first World RX weekend for the team. It was intense, but we were consistently in the top five. Having Mattias has been a very big bonus for me and the whole team." Larsson said.

"It just shows how important it is to have a fast driver like him by your side, we took tips from each other and without him I probably would not have been able to continue to develop my speed. I hope we see more of him this season."

"The puncture in the final today was a shame because it would have been perfect to have a one-two in the final. It was also sad to miss the final yesterday, but in terms of points things look good in the Teams’ Championship and I too scored good points. That Mattias beat Johan on pure pace shows we can fight with him. We’ve done the best we can as a team and we will carry that to Finland."

Written By - Junaid Samodien