World Rallycross “best suits manufacturer support to privateer teams” - Kenneth Hansen.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

In a career spanning nearly 40-years, Kenneth Hansen’s journey through rallycross has been nothing short of exemplary, earning 14 FIA European Rallycross Championships along the way, but after hanging up his helmet at the end of 2012, he now remains at the helm of Hansen Motorsport. 

Hansen's career started with karting back in 1976, before the transition to rallycross, were he won the first of many FIA European Championships in 1989, and to this day, his desire to win remains as strong as ever.

Through his career, Kenneth secured an impressive 14 European, and 10 Swedish Rallycross championships - and he explains just how he managed to achieve the record setting fourteen titles: "It was a long journey from the beginning. When I started with motorsport, I was not successful from the beginning. So, I needed to work it out and learn. My career started with karting, before I switched to rallycross. It took me four years to win the national title, before moving into the European Championship, and how I could manage 14 titles? That is because I’m quite stubborn, and I don’t like to lose."

“So, when that happened, then of course, I focussed more on the equipment and everything around it. I think it’s not easy to pinpoint a specific thing [to win 14 championships], it’s a combination of everything, but most of all, I’m quite stubborn [he laughs].”

In the early days of competitive motorsport, racing drivers had somewhat of an easier time fans fans and media, compared to the scrutiny faced in the new social media era. And, whilst being the team principal at Hansen Motorsport, Kenneth has been exposed to both the positivity and negativity on social media, which he believes affects drivers very differently.  

“I think that it depends on the driver. So some drivers don't care, and some of them are quite affected. When I go onto social media sometimes, and see what people are posting,and I wonder how they spend their time being so negative. But of course, we have a lot of people that are very positive. And, if I don't like something, I wouldn't put the effort in to posting it on [social media]. I would do something else instead,” the 14-time European champion said.

That winning feeling!
PHOTO CREDIT: Hansen Motorsport

Whilst the joy and elation of winning championships is one thing, facing an uncertain future is a completely different story after the four manufacturers [Audi, VW, Peugeot and Ford] withdrew from the world championship in 2018, but regardless of that, the Hansen name has remained in the championship since it's inception in 2014, and through the hard work and perseverance, one could liken them to the Frank Williams story. A man [Sir Frank Williams] who went through so much adversity, but despite everything he soldiered on to establish a historic team, which remains in the sport today. 

When asked what's the secret behind continuing in the world championship during the turbulent era, Kenneth Hansen said: “First of all, I really love the rallycross format, and the way to race in this championship. I've been in the rallying, I've been in circuit racing, karting, et cetera. This championship, it's something that really is close to my heart because there is such good competition."

"And of course, I think you target the season, you target the championship, but for me it's also to perform as best as you can on that day. So you don't look too far. Of course you have a vision of where to go, but you need to be in the game from where you are,” he adds. 16

Kenneth Hansen spaeking to his sons Timmy [left] and Kevin [on the right].
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The future of the World Championship seemed bleek, but with the co-operation, hard work and determination of the existing teams, and the promoters, World RX continued in 2019 with full privateer teams, including the Hansen's under the name - Team Hansen MJP, after the team partnerd with Austrian businessman Max J. Pucher. 

2019 proved to be one of the most captivating, and thrilling seasons to date, with four drivers going head-to-head for championship glory. 

Finn Niclas Gronholm seemed to be the driver to beat, but unfortunately, he missed two rounds due to appendicitis, which dropped him out of contention. Heading into the finale in Cape Town, it was a three-way fight between Andreas Bakkerud, and the Hansen brothers'. Where Timmy, ultimately came out on top winning the drivers' championship in dramatic fashion, whilst also wrapping up the teams' championship in the process. 

World Rallycross continued for two more years with internal combustion engine [ICE] cars before the switch to an all-electric powertrain, which is supplied by Austrian firm Kriesel, and retro-fitted into the existing cars, but following a devastating fire at the 2023 World RX of the United Kingdom that destroyed two Special One Racing cars, equipment and a truck. The FIA World Motor Sport Council [WMSC] took the unprecedencted decision to continue the championship with equal machinery. 

With some form of equal machinery, and the rising push for sustainability in motorsport, and environmental solutions, ie. electric mobility, hydrogen fuels and bio-fuels, the World Championship almost certainly is ready for manufacturer involvement. 

“We had four manufacturers in the Rallycross, and we saw it climbing very quickly, in fact too quickly. I think there were positive aspects, but there were also some negative things as well. So, I think we learned a lot from these years,” Hansen explained.

“What I think would suit rallycross best is to get manufacturer support to the private teams. So not the manufacturers coming full-time themselves because it would be cost effective. And the way to get the return of investment best would be to support the teams that are there, and of course it would be, one of the let’s say low cost world championships, because rallycross is very cost efficient. It's a very small championship and a very efficient, you don't need a lot of crew. You don't need a lot of equipment, but of course you need experience. And, clever people.”

Speaking of expenses, reaching world championship level is quite challenging, if not impossible for younger drivers, and potential championship winners due to the costs of renting cars and everything needed to run them, but like Kenneth, his youngest son Kevin formed a junior team - #YellowSquad, which was establisted to develop and find future stars, which has come to fruition since the signing of Patrick O'Donovan, who competed in European Rallycross, RX2e and in the final round of the world championship in Hong Kong, where he claimed a podium finish on debut. 

There are other drivers’ like Nils Andersson, who is the 2023 FIA RX2e champion, but due to budgetary constraints, he is unable able to compete with the worlds best. So, what can the championship do to make the sport easier for junior drivers to rise up the ranks? 

“I think we need the world championship to shine in order to get the full grids,” Hansen explains. “For me, that would be 16 cars, to have that set number and then to have a really good world championship to show the grassroots where to start to climb, to dream about. The young girls and boys should dream to be world champions one day, and that’s the way, it needs to be determined. It's not only the top, it's also the bottom. So, it's all together.”

Sixteen car grids have been achievable for years, but since the transition to electric cars, it’s become a touch more challenging due to costs. And, with the Lydden Hill fire, and the ongoing investigation, equal cars were used for the final four races of the season, in both Cape Town and Hong Kong, which added some extra spice to the championship. So, with that in mind, should the championship have some form of equality? 

“I think you are onto something there, but I don't think it should have a one marque category. Perhaps it should be a little more locked to keep the cost level down, but not fully locked. So, we have some freedom, because that has been the key point for Rallycross to do things and to develop things and so on,” he explained. “But of course, if we let it become to free, the cost will get too high. The RX1e car today is quite expensive. So, I think I would look to get some sort of limitation there.” 

Kenneth Hansen smiling after receiving the Slipstream SA draw your ideal track challenge [his sons track layouts in picture as well]
PHOTO CREDIT: Rhea Morar [PitCrew Online]

As customary with Slipstream SA, we asked Kenneth Hansen to design his ideal World Rallycross track, but in order to design his perfect track, he asked us, if he could take some time to design the layout, and surpringly, the inventor of the 'Joker Lap' did not add a joker to his ideal track. 

Take a look at the 14-time European Champions track design below.

TRACK DESIGNED BY KENNETH HANSEN

‘It is possible’ for women to reach top flight motorsport because 'If I can, so can you!'– Klara Andersson.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

As the only female driver in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, Klara Andersson aims to use her platform to inspire the next generation - ‘If I can be here, so can you!'

The 23-year-old has made waves since she transitioned to rallycross - achieving her biggest success – the 2019 Swedish Rallycross Championship, in SM (Senior) 2150, which propelled her to the forefront, and just a year later she claimed a fourth-place finish in the FIA RX2e championship on debut. 

"Dreams don’t have to just be dreams. You can make it a reality; if you just keep pushing and keep trying, then eventually you'll reach your goal. And if that takes a few years, then that's great, but if it takes 10 or 20, then that's part of the process." — Naomi Osaka

Dreams do come true, as Klara Andersson proved after joining the Extreme E championship in 2022, and to this day competes for the ABT Cupra squad, in addition, she also competes in the all-electric FIA World Rallycross Championship with Construction Equipment (CE) Dealer Team where she immediately impressed on debut, and has since became the first-ever female to step onto the international rallycross podium. 

Slipstream SA sat down with Klara at the World RX of South Africa earlier this year and asked - what could be done to make motorsport more inclusive for females, to which, she said: “I think we really need to look into the founder series. So, we need to look at go-karts and cross-karts. We then need to look at more women and girls entering series’ at young ages, because they can then climb the ranks and reach the very high levels.”

“So I think, for me, I always try to show that it is possible,” she adds. “It's possible to be a girl in the top series. And I want to be a role model and see that if I can be here, so can you. And I want to make it more normal that it's possible.”

Klara Andersson with her SM (Senior) 2150 – Swedish Rallycross Championship winning BMW 120.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA RXe

A career that started at the young age of seven karting. It wasn’t until 2018 that the Swede made the switch to rallycross after building a rear-wheel-drive BMW 120 with her father before competing in the 2021 SM (Senior) 2150 – Swedish Rallycross Championship, which she won.  

Coming from a racing background, with sister Magda [Andersson] who competed in European Rallycross – Klara’s career shone from the get-go. 

She lets us in on how much work went into building her championship-winning BMW.

“It was so much work. Just me and my dad [built it]. We started building it in 2017, and then I started driving it in 2018 in the junior series. So we put all the time, the money, and the effort into that car;” she said. “And, I haven't touched it since I won the championship [in 2021], it's still in the garage, because I can't sell it, you know, because it's too big a part of my career.”  

Andersson told Slipstream SA last year that "winning the Swedish Rallycross Championship was big for me. The level of Rallycross in Sweden is really high, and to win with my BMW that my dad and I built and have been working on for the last 3 years was amazing."

Beating a 50-strong entry list to the Swedish Rallycross Championship is a tall feat, but the Swede was more than capable of this. And, having now made the step up to Extreme E, and the FIA World Rallycross Championship results and performances are all that matters when going up against the best in the industry, the likes of Johan Kristoffersson and Timmy Hansen, calls for consistency, but on a personal level, what is required to make the additional step to compete against them? 

“It's a very good question. Johan is extremely good, and so are all the drivers in the World RX. It takes a lot of will, you need every piece of the puzzle to fit – a lot of power, you need to have the team for it, the car for it, and the teamwork. Otherwise, you can't win, you win the championship as a team. If you have the drivers but not the team, or if you have the team and not the drivers, and if you don’t have the car for it, then it's very, very hard,” Andersson said.

“I truly think that we [CE Dealer Team] have all the components that we need.  And, you know, now with this championship, it's only the second year that we have run our cars, so there's still a lot of development that needs to be made. And I think they will just become faster and faster for years to come, which I'm really excited for. I think I go back to the word, but I think it's passion. It's all about passion.”

Niclas Gronholm and Klara Andersson sharing a laugh during a signing session 
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool 

Passion is both a motivator and a driving force, speaking of a force, Andersson’s team-mate Niclas Grönholm has been competing in the World RX since 2015, and in 2019 came so close to achieving championship glory, but it all came undone after he, unfortunately, suffered with appendicitis, which ruled him out of two rounds. Surely, working with an experienced driver of his caliber has its perks, and there are no doubts Klara can pick up a trick or two from her teammate despite his quiet nature, a typical Finnish characteristic.

“He is great! He's a great teammate. Not only a good friend, but also we chat a lot about the car and the tracks, and we look at the video and the analysis together,” the CE Dealer Team driver said. “[Laughs] Yes! But he is very quiet. He's actually quite shy, but he also truly helps me a lot as a driver.”

Competing in rallycross is quite accessible, but reaching the top, the likes of the World Rallycross Championship is rather challenging without the necessary funding due to the costs of hiring cars, and the equipment needed to run these cars, in addition, the championship fields is pretty compact field since the series' move to electric cars, with 10 entries usually fielded across the course of a season. 

At the 2023 World RX of South Africa 1000, Nils Andersson, reigning RX2e Champion, worked alongside Kristoffersson Motorsport, as the team’s manager rather than competing with the best, a similar thing can be said about Frenchman Viktor Vranckx, who competed in RX2e for a few years, but he recently made the move to Nitrocross [in USA]. Drivers’ of this caliber should make the step up the ranks, but rather they are getting lost along the way due to budgetary constraints. 

Andersson says a challenge that all drivers face is “more or less, struggles with the budget and the funding. If we all had the budget, then we would see more cars, more drivers, everything. But it comes down to the budget. You can do a lot of things, but I think, for example, bringing in manufacturers would help quite a bit to really grow the championship and make more seats available. But it's hard.”

 “When I got my contract after just winning the Swedish Championship, we initially planned to do one international race in Spa, in RX2e, just to get some experience. I didn't think so much about it. But if I didn't do that race, I would never be here today,” she added. “So you really need to, at least do what I've been trying to do, and that is to take all the opportunities that you have, really grow your network, and be everywhere. Try everything. And then maybe the right people see you at the right time. But it's not easy.”

Achieving one's dreams of competing amongst the best in the world is all that drivers can ask for, but grabbing all the opportunities along the way is something that can boost a driver’s career. So, if there were opportunities to try out any other championship, what would Klara like to discover? Formula One, Dakar Rally, World Endurance, or even Formula E? 

“Formula One might be a bit too difficult now. But, I think Formula E is actually very exciting. I've been watching them with the ABT Cupra.  And I was at the race in Berlin. It would be amazing to try the Formula E cars sometime in the future. That would be really fun,” she said. “I'm also a big fan of the Dakar Rally. I always watch it. So, I mean, I'm only 23 right now. My main focus is for sure on World RX and Extreme E. But who knows what's going to happen in a few years.”

With her focus primarily on World RX and Extreme E at this moment in time - what would her ideal World Rallycross Championship track look like? 

TRACK DESIGNED BY KLARA ANDERSSON

The CE Dealer Team driver talks us through her ideal World track layout - “Oh, wow! This is difficult. [She begins to draw and says] We want a wide gravel first corner. That would be the biggest wish on the Christmas list. Then we have a jump. Flat jumps, that's all I want. No breaking before jumps, in my opinion. Then we're in the wrong series. 

This [turn 3] was supposed to be a bit tighter. You could call it a banked corner. After the banked corner, you will have a proper hairpin gravel, just a full handbrake. And then you need a good flow over the jump. The jump also needs to be gravel, actually. And then when you land, you have quite a long tarmac corner. Then the last section is quite fast, but then it splits to the joker on the outside. So it splits just before the finish line. This one is quite fast! The cars will all line up on the grid. 

Ah, that was actually quite fun." 

It's 'truly something special' racing against childhood heroes - O'Donovan

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Rising star Patrick O'Donovan has many reasons to smile after securing a podium on his debut in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

O'Donovan's rallycross career began in 2018, and in only his second second in the Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross championship, he went on to finish runner-up in the standings. Moving over to the RX150 Rallycross Championship for buggies in 2020, he clinched the title a year later and was recognized as the 2021 Motorsport UK’s Young Driver of the Year. That same year, he competed in the FIA RX2e championship, finishing fourth overall and reaching the podium in Höljes [Sweden]. 

Having established himself, as one to watch, the Brit lifted the British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy Championship on debut, and a year later successfully defended his crown, whilst simultaneously competing in the FIA European Rallycross Championship with the support of the Hansen's #YellowSquad junior development programme.

Hansen Motorsport along with the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS announced that they'd field a third car in the series finale double-header in Hong Kong, and with his experience, talent, and involvement in the #YellowSquad, it was a no-brainer to put Patrick in the third Zeriod X1 machine. 

The Brit made his intentions known by qualifying third on the opening day in Hong Kong, whilst the two heats did not go according to plan, he sealed a place in the semi-finals and added experience to his belt. 

Returning just a day later, he was right up there again with a fourth-place finish in SuperPole, and a heat race win, picking up the pace to challenge the best of the best in the dual surface discipline, and even beating 2019 world champion and team-mate Timmy Hansen to the podium on his debut.

"I'm over the moon, it was a weekend full of highs and lows, but it was amazing to finish on the podium on my World RX debut, especially in Hong Kong," O'Donovan said. "I had better pace today [Sunday] than on Saturday – my race win in the Heats was one of my highlights, but to move up from the back of the grid in the final to go up the inside to P3 and hold on to the finish was just amazing. After the first corners, the suspension wasn’t in the best condition, and the handling wasn’t perfect, but I just pushed as hard as I could to keep a World Champion in Timmy behind me, to cross the finish line in third."

The 19-year-old Brit admits that racing against his childhood heroes is something truly special.

"To be up here with some of my childhood heroes is just amazing," he said. "I think I worked it out with Timmy [Hansen], and it's probably similar to Johan - that I've been watching them since I was seven or eight years old when they were either competing in World or European Rallycross. To be up here and to be racing against them is truly something special."

Having had his first taste of the World Championship, the highly-rated teenager, acknowledges that his outing in Hong Kong was the highlight of his career, despite competing in other national championships. 

"The European, French, and British Championships are amazing, but up in the World Championship, it's the best of the best. And, I am racing against some world champions - there were two world champions in that race [the final]. To come out and beat one of them, and be only a few seconds behind Johan [Kristoffersson] is amazing. This is definitely my career highlight." he said.

Would you like to see Patrick O'Donovan in a full-time FIA World Rallycross Championship seat in 2024? Have your say in the comment section below! 

"1-2 finish" in Hong Kong satisfying after turbulent season - Veiby

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

One year after an impressive full-time return to the FIA World Rallycross Championship having stepped onto the podium on five occasions, Norweigan Ole Christian Veiby had one target in mind "a top 3 position in the championship" at the end of the 2023 season. 

Returning to the championship with Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS alongside six-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson, the 27-year-old had all the right tools to challenge for podiums, if not wins, however, as they say, 'fortune favors the brave'. Well, OC is in fact brave, but his fortunes this season have been few and far between. 

Rewind to just a year earlier, the Norweigan claimed five podium finishes upon his return to the championship, this year, unfortunately, he was only ever able to claim a single podium, this past weekend in Hong Kong. 

Throughout the year, he encountered a number of issues, from technical failures, punctures, and crashes, the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS driver admits that it has been a tough season.

"We set a goal to be within the top three of the championship this season, but it's been a tough [season], as we had some races with bad luck - some things were not in our control, for example, technical issues stopping the car on the track," Veiby said. 

The season seemed quite promising for Ole Christian having stepped onto the podium in Sweden earlier this year, but any momentum that he might have carried with him ended after the championship was placed on hold, following the destructive Lydden Hill fire. 

A few months later, the FIA World Motor Sport Council together with the World RX championship decided to conclude the championship with equal machinery [Zeriod X1 cars], and even with the new machinery, he struggled with the car and even had yet more bad luck, but on the final day of action in Hong Kong, things turned around, as he claimed a second-place finish behind Kristoffersson.  

"It's really satisfying [to end the season on the podium]. It's been a long season with a lot of downs, and some ups. This event in Hong Kong was an up. It's really great to end this season with a 1-2 finish, and also secure the teams' championship," he said. "The biggest amount of respect goes to the team, as they have done a good job throughout the season. I just love being part of this team."

Whilst, he might love being part of a very dominant team in the new electric era of World Rallycross, Veiby acknowledges that it's not easy being a team-mate to Johan Kristoffersson, however, he is able to learn and further develop within this Arvika-based team. 

"It's not always so easy to be honest, for sure, he is the goat [greatest of all time]. He is the one to beat - and that is not the easiest guy to be a team-mate with, but in the last couple of races, everyone has been in the same car," OC Veiby said. "So, in a way, it's the perfect opportunity to learn from him [Johan], and I have had a few years in rallycross, so it's the perfect place to be to learn as much as possible."

Kristoffersson raises the bar to produce stellar 40th career victory.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

After apologizing to the fans yesterday for what he believed was not producing a spectacular final, Johan Kristoffersson approached the season finale with one thing in mind - victory, and perfection, as he capped off the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship with a 40th career victory on the streets of Hong Kong today. 

LONG READ - STRAP IN! 

It’s not a marathon, it’s a SUPERPOLE shootout!

Twenty-four hours after claiming victory in Hong Kong - Kevin Hansen qualified in the last position with the format change - “Qualifying Practice”. It was pretty evident that track evolution would be a factor in SuperPole, however, it wasn’t apparent just how drivers’ would reap the benefits of these improvements. Well, tactics come out to play, and rather strange tactics, which would set the base for the day. 

Luck is a four-letter word, something hard to come by or achieve, and unfortunately, Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky had yet another awful day of bad luck, as she hit the barrier with her rear left wheel during SuperPole, which led to her crabbing across the checkered line to set the pace for the session. 

Thereafter, it seemed to be a race of who could finish last, but CE Dealer Team’s Klara Andersson had other plans, as she posted the fastest time with a handful of drivers to complete a lap. 

One by one some drivers elected to go slow, and others fast - Kevin Hansen among the group opting for the fast approach, as he secured SuperPole by 0.090s from six-time FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson. 

Speaking directly after the session, he said: “I heard rumors of tactics coming into this session, and both my teammates used them [slow tactic]. I just wanted to have a clean start to the day, and have a clean mind going into the first heats.”

TURNING UP THE HEAT[S]

HEAT ONE

After fascinating tactics during SuperPole, it was time to put the best times on the board in the overall rankings. Having run two heats yesterday, the championship returned to normal order today, with three heats consisting of five cars. So, who will top the rankings and progress to the semi-final and finals? 

With the “slowest cars” going first, it was Niclas Gronholm who firmly made his intentions known with a mighty impressive outside move to take the lead into turn one, as Timmy Hansen and Ole Christian Veiby tangled. The Hansen Motorsport driver was later reprimanded for the contact. 

Large and in charge, Niclas was unfazed despite Timmy Hansen’s pace in the closing stages, as he won the heat ahead of Hansen, Veiby, Ahlin-Kottulinsky and Rene Munnich.

Race two, featuring the fastest drivers from SuperPole had to contend with big rutted sections, and despite a tight squeeze into turn one, Kevin Hansen led into turn one, with the support of debutant team-mate Patrick O’Donovan defending in second. But, with a clever first lap joker, Kristoffersson picked off O’Donovan, and later Scheider to secure second behind Hansen with Scheider in third ahead of Patrick and Klara.  

HEAT TWO

In usual World Rallycross fashion, the fastest drivers from the previous session went first for the second of three heats. With yet another brilliant start, Niclas Gronholm looked to be the early leader, but with the momentum and the usual pushing and shoving – it was as if the sea parted to clear the way for Kristoffersson who took the lead – a position that he would hold to the chequered flag, with Gronholm behind followed by Timmy Hansen, Veiby and Kevin in fifth.

Starting from pole, All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport’s Timo Scheider had a strong launch, and led into turn one in race two, as Klara pulled off a beautiful rally-esque move to claim second. 

Having opted for an early joker strategy, O’Donovan kept the pressure on, and as those ahead took their compulsory joker laps, he emerged into the lead to win his first heat race on the international rallycross stage, with Ahlin-Kottulinsky in fourth and Munnich rounding out the order in a distant fifth.

HEAT THREE

Just one heat to make an impact in the overall standings - it was all systems go for heat three. Timo Scheider fended off an attack from behind but after a big hit from Kevin Hansen into turn 1 and 2. Klara Andersson took the lead, and as the race progressed, the Cape Town race winner began to close up on Swede, but she remained unfazed, as she beat the German with Hansen finished third ahead of Munnich and Ahlin-Kottulinsky, who failed to finish the race.

The final heat race saw Ole Christian Veiby get a very good start battling Gronholm into turn one, as Kristoffersson kept his nose clean, and took an early joker lap in an attempt to overtake those ahead, but as the meters ticked over Timmy stopped on track with front suspension damage. 

Covering off Kristoffersson’s late charge, Gronholm jokered and came out comfortably ahead, but Veiby remained in the lead. Could he apply enough pleasure to win the final race? He sure did, Niclas led to the final corner, but something strange happened as he slowed with meters to the chequered flag, as Veiby and Kristoffersson pushed in every direction to get past. OC won ahead of team-mate Johan... 

With all the results calculated, six-time world champion Johan Kristoffersson was the top qualifier in the overall rankings ahead of Niclas Gronholm, Kevin Hansen, Ole Christian Veiby, Klara Andersson, Timo Scheider, Timmy Hansen, Patrick O’Donovan. Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky and Rene Munnich.

MAKE OR BREAK!

Having topped the rankings, Johan Kristoffersson started from pole position, but with a full-send move, Timmy Hansen sent it around the outside to take the lead, as Johan studied the pace of his rivals. 

As the laps ticked off, the Kristoffersson Motorsport driver pumped in faster sectors, and he then opted for an earlier joker lap strategy, which provided vital, as he crossed the line to snatch P1 from Timmy’s grasp, with Klara Andersson in third progressing to the final, and round nine winner Kevin Hansen going no further along with Ahlin-Kottulinsky.

“Yes, for sure very happy [to secure second in the championship]! It’s been a very tough season. To end the season as vice champion is nice, but now there is only one trophy missing, and that is the World Championship, so we will come back next year [in 2024],” Kevin Hansen said.

With a nightmare final corner in heat 3, Niclas Gronholm’s luck finally paid off as he led comfortably into turn one, despite some bumper bashing behind. Almost immediately, Ole Christian Veiby and Scheider took their joker lap in an attempt to beat those ahead, but the Finn was cool, calm, and collected. His pace at the front meant he crossed the chequered flag in P1 ahead of Veiby and O’Donovan. Having recently shown an impressive turn of speed, Timo Scheider’s weekend came to an end with a fourth-place finish in semi-final two. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

THE KING MAKES IT COUNT

Five laps,, six drivers… It was lights, camera.. GOOOO! The pressure was on to nail the start, and Johan Kristoffersson did just that. Behind the reigning champion was Niclas Gronholm who tried to fend off the second Kristoffersson Motorsport machine, but to no avail. 

Opting for a different tactic, Niclas Gronholm and Klara Andersson immediately took the joker lap and set the pace. The Finn overtook his team-mate, as Timmy Hansen took a dive into the joker lap in an attempt to stay ahead of Gronholm, which he managed to achieve. 

A lap later, Patrick O’Donovan took the joker lap to fend off team-mate Timmy Hansen, with Veiby doing the same a lap later, a move that worked. 

Like clockwork, Kristoffersson was unbeatable in the final, as he crossed the checkered flag ahead of team-mate Veiby, and Patrick O’Donovan – who claimed his first-ever podium in World Rallycross. Right behind them were Timmy Hansen, Niclas Gronholm, and Klara Andersson. 

“That was nice! The championship was secured yesterday, but yesterday was a very, very frustrating final. So, I am very happy to be able to pull off the win today,” Johan Kristoffersson said.

“That first corner in the final was the one where I decided and had free track and was able to do my own pace. I am happy it’s done, to be honest. Klara and Niclas have been very strong in the first corner this weekend, and I am very happy to have matched them in the final into the first corner. To be able to put on a show for five laps in front of the Hong Kong fans is great.”

FINAL RESULT: 

1. Johan KRISTOFFERSSON 

2. Ole Christian VEIBY + 3.641s

3. Patrick O’DONOVAN + 4.599s

4. Timmy HANSEN + 4.939s

5. Niclas GRÖNHOLM + 6.218s

6. Klara ANDERSSON + 6.980s

2023 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS - CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS [AFTER ROUND 10]:

1) Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - 141 POINTS

2) Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - 104

3) Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) - 94

4) Timo Scheider (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) - 89

5) Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - 82

6) Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - 78

7) Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) - 71

8) Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) - 30

9) Sebastien Loeb (Special ONE Racing) - 29

10) Guerlain Chicherit (Special ONE Racing) - 27

11) Patrick O’Donovan (Hansen World RX Team) - 22

12) Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) - 20

13) Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - 13

Kevin Hansen shines in maiden Hong Kong event as Kristoffersson clinches a record sixth title.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Kevin Hansen returned to winning ways after a masterful drive at the World Rallycross of Hong Kong earlier today, as Johan Kristoffersson clinched his sixth world championship having made the final. 

In a stunning track – sandwiched between Hong Kong’s iconic downtown skyscrapers and the waters of Victoria Harbour – the day's action was shortened due to unforeseen construction delays, but that failed to dampen the mood. 

SuperPole was canceled, as a result of the format change for the day, with qualifying practice ultimately deciding who would start in pole position for the first heat. In addition, the starting grid for the qualifying "shoot-out" practice was decided based on reverse championship order.

Having had four laps to get to grips with the shortened 1,125-meter track, one-by-one the drivers' were released onto the track, with OC Veiby finally getting one over his teammate, but it wasn't all that simple for Johan Kristoffersson and championship rival Kevin Hansen who both encountered puncture, which meant they'd both start in the slowest heat race. 

Out of position both Kevin and Johan would start on the outside in Heat One, with Rene Munnich in pole position, but as soon as the lights went out Kevin Hansen had a superb launch to lead the chequered flag ahead of Kristoffersson and Klara Andersson. In the second race, it was iceman Niclas Gronholm who got one over Ole Christian [pole sitter], as Timmy Hansen battled with debutant Patrick O'Donovan and Timo Scheider. 

Topping the heat meant that Kevin would start from the pole position in Heat 2 with championship leader Johan Kristoffersson alongside. Klara Andersson, Niclas Gronholm, and Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky filled out the remaining spots, with the fastest going first. 

Gronholm had a quick start and took the lead ahead of Kristoffersson and Hansen, which were the positions that they'd remain to the chequered flag, whilst Klara Andersson finished fourth, and Ahlin-Kottulinsky encountered some issues after contact with a barrier. 

Starting from pole position in heat 2 race 2, Veiby led Timmy Hansen, and Timo Scheider, as Patrick O'Donovan and Rene Munnich dropped back from the championship regulars, however, the O'Donovan's pace was on par with those ahead. 

After the two heats consisting of two races, it was straight into the semi-finals with the clouds going away, but it was still reasonably wet. Starting from pole, the younger Hansen brother swept into the lead, as Timo Scheider set it up the inside of Kristoffersson at turn one, whilst O'Donovan and Timmy Hansen battled for the first of the loose spot. 

With victory in semi-final one, Hansen sealed pole position for the all-important final ahead of Scheider [middle row] and Kristoffersson [back row], it was all down to semi-final 2 to decide who would join the fastest three of the day. 

And, like clockwork, it was Construction Equipment Dealerteam's Gronholm who claimed victory against Veiby yet again, with Klara Andersson securing a start in the final, whilst Rene Munnich and Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky, who was piloting the third Kristoffersson Motorsport RX2e machine crashed into the barriers on lap one. Thankfully, she was not harmed in the incident. 

With Kevin Hansen and Niclas Gronholm on the front row, and a rocket-fast Johan Kristoffersson and Timo Scheider behind, it would be difficult to keep them behind on a drying track. 

As the lights went out, Hansen had a very good launch, and immediately gapped the field, as Niclas Gronholm somewhat stalled off the line, and got swallowed up by those behind. With championship leader Kristoffersson up to second with Veiby and Scheider going door-to-door fighting for third.

Into turn 3, Veiby maintained third, whilst both CE Dealterteam drivers jokered on the first lap. With a touch more pace compared to OC Veiby, and in an attempt to cover Gronholm, Scheider took the joker lap but came out behind Niclas. 

The pressure was on, as Kristoffersson closed right up on Kevin, and with two laps to go, he took the joker lap aiming for an almighty push to claim victory on the final lap, but that was not to be, as his Zeriod X1 [RX2e] machine switched off on the line lap. 

Hansen took a final lap joker and claimed victory ahead of Niclas Gronholm with Timo Scheider rounding out the podium in third ahead of OC Veiby, Klara Andersson, and six-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson - who was able to restart the race and finish. 

The result marked Kevin's third World RX victory – with his maximum score strengthening his grip on second position in the championship standings.

"It was a tough start to the day with a puncture after the first corner of qualifying practice, and I just could not put a lap on the board. Then I had a good start in heat one, got around the outside, and took the lead to register a first-place finish. The semi-final and final were so smooth, I did my race. On dry tyres, the track was so fun to drive," Kevin Hansen explained. 

"In the final, I think Niclas [Gronholm] had a bad launch, which meant that I was quite alone into turn one, which was great for a change, but it was a tough final because it was such a tough track. You had to stay perfectly in line, or any little bump would take you out. I don’t think one lap was the same as the other."

"It has not been many wins, but I know that I am capable of it," he added. "I knew this was a great opportunity and I know I have a better understanding of this car. The team has also been on it – not a single moment has been left unanalyzed, with a lot of work even right up to the final where we were making changes to improve. It’s really been a team effort. I really enjoyed the challenge of those five laps. My third win feels like the best."

Uncharacteristically, Kristoffersson did not top a single session on the first day of action in Hong Kong, but having reached the final together with teammate OC Veiby, it was more than enough to clinch both the 2023 FIA Drivers' and Teams World Rallycross Championships.

"It’s a nice feeling [to clinch both titles]. We had a very good start to the season, I was able to win the first three rounds," Kristoffersson said. "The team has done a good job over the course of the season to improve the car. So, very happy with that! It’s been great to be able to wrap up both the teams and drivers’ championships today. The season has been quite enjoyable."

"But on a day like today, when the car decides to stop on the last lap it is very difficult to keep the consistency of scoring points, so not ideal."

The Volkswagen Dealer Team BAUHAUS driver apologized to the fans, saying: "I am sorry to the Hong Kong fans for depriving them of seeing two cars coming out of the last corner next to each other for the victory. We did all we could, but it was not enough. I can only say sorry to the fans for not putting on a good show." 

Following the final, the FIA Stewards summoned Niclas Gronholm, Timo Scheider and Ole Christian Veiby, and asked for their onboard footage, but after thorough review - no further action was taken.

With the action resuming tomorrow, there is no doubt that Kristoffersson will look to exact revenge after a challenging first day on Hong Kong... let's gooooo racing! 

PREVIEW: Johan Kristoffersson is on the cusp of a sixth world title, as World RX is set to electrify Hong Kong

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The end is near... the end is here... After months of highs and lows, the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship will reach its conclusion with a double-header in Hong Kong this weekend, as Johan Kristoffersson looks to wrap up a sixth title. 

2023 has had a bit of everything... domination, first wins, destruction and a brand-new venue - Hong Kong to conclude the season. 

Set against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s famous skyline, in the Central Harbourfront Event Space next to the iconic Victoria Harbour, the newly constructed 1225-metre downtown track will without a doubt be a challenge for drivers with its blend of flat-out straights, flowing corners, tight-and-twisty sections, jump and dramatic joker merge just before the finish line.

"It’ll be fantastic to race on a track right in the middle of downtown and to really bring the sport to the fans. What an amazing place to end the season!" Ole Christian Veiby said.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Johan Kristoffersson is in pole position to lift yet another title. The Swede has won four rounds to date this season and holds a healthy 36-point lead in the championship with only 46 points up for grabs with a double-header remaining. 

To deny the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS driver a sixth crown something significant would have to happen, but nothing can ever be ruled out in rallycross. 

The Swede's four closest rivals: Kevin Hansen, Timo Scheider, Niclas Grönholm, and Timmy Hansen – have all previously stepped onto the podium in World RX, with ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport's Scheider bringing the championship leader’s winning run to an end with a strong performance in Cape Town last time out.

"It’s pretty cool to be third in the championship now. I think there’s more to come from my side, too, because I’m still learning and adapting to the driving style required in this car. With such small gaps in terms of lap time, the tiniest mistake really puts you on the back foot and I think we all had a few ‘moments’ on-track in South Africa," Scheider said.

"If we can stay inside the top three overall after Hong Kong, that would be an outstanding achievement for myself and the team. We’ll need another clean and strong weekend, but I think we have a reasonable chance..."

To add insult to injury, Kevin Hansen ended Kristoffersson's SuperPole streak in South Africa, whilst older brother Timmy sets sights on victory.

"We’ve got really high hopes going to Hong Kong and we will try to be on it from the beginning. We’ll definitely be pushing for the win," he said.

Having made consistent improvements over the course of the season, Klara Andersson will undoubtedly look to better, if not take a higher step on the podium after making history last year - becoming the first woman to reach the rostrum in international rallycross. 

This coming weekend, she will be joined on the grid by compatriot and rival Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky who finished third overall in the FIA RX2e championship. 

"It’s a dream come true to step in and be part of the best team in World RX – that’s pretty awesome! It was fun working with Johan and Ole Christian when they drove in RX2e in Belgium. I’m looking forward to continuing that collaboration and to working with the incredibly talented engineers and mechanics in the team," Åhlin-Kottulinsky said.

"It's hard to say what your goals are when you go into something for the first time like this. We’ll have a little more power in the cars than I’ve been used to in RX2e, and the circuit will be new for everyone. It’s a city centre event, which is super-cool, and I've enjoyed this type of track before. I'll certainly be giving it my best."

Rising star and two-time 5 Nations British Rallycross Champion Patrick O’Donovan will also make his series debut with Hansen World RX Team. The highly-rated British teenager has plenty of experience in the ZEROID X1 car that all drivers will race this weekend.

"It will be a childhood dream come true for me to make my World RX debut, and even better to be doing so in a car that I know," O'Donovan said.

"I’m extremely excited to see how my pace fares against some of the best rallycross drivers in the world, and to be working so closely with the Hansen Motorsport team. It’s also super-cool to be part of the first-ever World Rallycross inner-city event, especially in a venue like Hong Kong. I can’t wait!"

THE TRACK: HONG KONG'S CENTRAL HABOURFRONT EVENT SPACE.

THE TRACK INFORMATION:

Track Length: N/A [OLD LAYOUT WAS - 1,225 metres]

Previous Winner: N/A

Asphalt/Dirt: 63%/37%

Joker Lap Loss: N/A

DESCRIPTION:

The cars will blast away from the start-line and hit the gravel on the dash to Turn One – a double 90-degree left-hander – which leads to a short, sharp sequence through Turns Two and Three. The unsealed surface then makes way for a long drag down to Turn Four, a tight right-hand hairpin – as the asphalt part of the lap begins.

After exiting the hairpin, drivers will deploy all of the power available to them as they race down the longest straight on the circuit. Next to tackle are a pair of consecutive right-handers in Turns Five and Six – the latter overlooked by the Hong Kong Observation Wheel – before sliding back onto the gravel and leaping over the jump on the approach to Turn Seven.

Alternatively, they may elect to dive into the joker, which is 23m shorter than the standard lap but tighter, twistier and slower. The joker and main lap then merge right before the finish line – setting the scene for some spectacular battles around the first city centre circuit in the championship’s history.

2023 FIA WORLD RX OF HONG KONG: ENTRY LIST

Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team)

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team)

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team)

Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team)

Timo Scheider (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport)

Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport)

Patrick O’Donovan (Hansen World RX Team)

Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS)

Round 9 and 10 - World RX of Hong Kong (CAT Times)

SATURDAY:

SUPERPOLE: 04:05

HEAT 1: 09:10

HEAT 2: 09:30

HEAT 3: 10:00

SEMI-FINAL: 10:22

FINAL: 10:38

SUNDAY:

SUPERPOLE: 03:15

HEAT 1: 09:10

HEAT 2: 09:30

HEAT 3: 10:00

SEMI-FINAL: 10:22

FINAL: 10:38

2023 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS - CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS [AFTER ROUND 8]:

1) Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - 107 POINTS

2) Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - 71

3) Timo Scheider (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) - 68

4) Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) - 63

5) Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - 59

6) Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - 54

7) Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) - 50

8) Sebastien Loeb (Special ONE Racing) - 29

9) Guerlain Chicherit (Special ONE Racing) - 27

10) Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) - 20

11) Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) - 16 

12) Patrick O’Donovan (Hansen World RX Team) - Debut Hong Kong

13) Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - Debut Hong Kong

Winning 2019 title 'would've been impossible without Kevin' - Timmy Hansen.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool/Joerg Mitter

Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States of America, once said: "Nothing worth doing was ever easy."

The future of World Rallycross seemed bleak after the simultaneous withdrawal of manufacturers: Audi, Peugeot, and Volkswagen at the end of the 2018 season. 

Many questions arose: Who will race in 2019? Will they race? And more... These questions were soon answered with an array of privateer teams signing up to the dual-surfaced championship, followed by a last-minute entry of the Hansens who beat the clock having secured two Peugeot 208 cars, and the necessary funding for the season.

Timmy Hansen 21 explained the challenges that his family-run team faced when speaking to Slipstream SA in 2019: “Many hours of work went in to secure an entry, but it’s more than just hours, it was everything. My whole passion. It’s quite hard to describe all the things that we have put together and our ambitions. You don’t achieve this by working for hours. It took a lot, it really took everything that we had, but we made it.”

Despite all these obstacles and challenges, the 2019 season was arguably the best season to date with a healthy entry list at every round. 

The season will also live long in the memories of Niclas Gronholm, Andreas Bakkerud, and Timmy Hansen, who had to overcome highs and lows to achieve a childhood dream. 

Moments before Andreas Bakkerud hit Hansen.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

The 2019 campaign got off to a bang for Timmy who led the way through the qualifying heats in Abu Dhabi but was involved in an accident with Andreas Bakkerud who thought that the race ended a lap earlier.

His Peugeot 208 WRX suffered extensive chassis damage, but after 9 days of hard work, the car was rebuilt, and back on the grid in Barcelona where he and his younger brother Kevin claimed a 1-2 finish becoming the second-ever siblings to finish first, and second in an FIA World Championship event.

The 31-year-old Swede claimed three more wins that season, in Great Britain, France, and Latvia on his way to a dramatic season finale in Cape Town. With a championship on the line, preparation is always key, “I think the key is to not treat [the championship decider] any differently. To treat it as [a normal weekend], because like, you're just gonna get in the car again and drive again. So, the secret is in keeping it simple,” Timmy Hansen told Slipstream SA.

“And I tried hard to do that, but also the nerves are there, you know what's on the line. It is that was kind of the balance to stay focused, and not to make any mistakes. But I think both me and Andreas [Bakkerud] did well. And, he delivered very, very well. And, and so did I.”

The weekend had been building up towards a winners-takes-all battle between Timmy Hansen and championship rival, Andreas Bakkerud, whilst Kevin had an outside opportunity, had the two ahead encountered bad luck. 

With a solitary point separating the two with one race remaining, the Hansen Motorsport driver knew that taking maximum points at the final race of the weekend would be enough to hand him his first FIA World RX title, and admits that his younger brother Kevin played an instrumental role in clinching the title.

“I wouldn't have been able to win that year without Kevin and I, working together,” he said. ‘’Before the semi-final, he was also in the title fight. He [Kevin] was only eight points behind coming into this final race. And, he had also done a fantastic season, but after the heats, it kind of looked like, it was going to be me and Andreas. And then he said: ‘Okay, I've got your back now.’ So, I chose to run the semifinal with used tires, because Kevin was in second place and he would cover up the inside and stay behind, you know, have my back. So I was able to run that semifinal with used tires to have four new tires on the car for the final. It would've been impossible without Kevin."

After a strong performance in the semi-final stages, the Hansen brothers secured the World RX Team Championship for Team Hansen MJP. 

The launch of a lifetime for Andreas Bakkerud at the 2019 World RX of SA.
PHOTO CREDIT: Junaid Samodien/Slipstream SA.

Having both won their respective semi-finals, it was a pretty simple, but a tense situation - Bakkerud had to win the final to become world champion, and if Hansen won, he’d also take the title. 

It all came down to this… the final! Andreas Bakkerud took the holeshot off the line, ahead of Timmy who applied tons of pressure from behind, pushing hard to overtake. The Norwegian ran a touch wide opening a gap, as Timmy launched an overtake, with slight contact between the two, Bakkerud clipped the outside wall, and hit Hansen who spun off the track and onto a grass bank. His younger brother Kevin also took avoiding action, whilst Niclas Grönholm took the lead to deny Andreas the race win, but as the race progressed Timo Scheider stopped on track, handing fourth place to Timmy, a position, which would mean the two rivals would finish the season tied on 211 points each.

Following the final, the FIA launched a rather lengthy investigation into the collision at turn seven, and later deemed that ‘no further action’ would be taken.

Ayrton Senna da Silva, once famously, said: “If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you're no longer a racing driver.” 

Returning to Cape Town, after four years, Timmy Hansen explained how things really went down in the tense final: “I put a lot of pressure on him early in the lap. And, then he he overshot that fast right-hander before the hairpin. He went a bit too wide, caught in the dirt. He was wide, there's a gap, and you go into the gap. The reason we spun was because he touched the wall and went into me and spun me around. That was really unfortunate, but I think, you know, I had the move don. I was passed, but then, then we collided.”

Timmy fulfilled a life-long ambition and dream to be an FIA World Champion. 

“It’s a title that not many people have reached, and the ones that have reached it are the very greatest to have been in motorsport,” he told Slipstream SA prior to the 2019 final. 

Relive the 2019 World RX of SA with Andrew Coley. 

Scheider dedicates "emotional" victory to father, whilst Kristoffersson extends championship lead.

    PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Flawless Timo Scheider claimed an "emotional" maiden victory in South Africa today, bringing an end to Johan Kristoffersson's dominant run in the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

After finishing third on Saturday – matching his previous best result from the 2023 season – Scheider got the better of all of his rivals today to reach the top step of the podium.

The All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport driver’s day did not get off to the best of starts with a rear motor failure, which was investigated by the FIA Stewards, however, QEV technologies accepted responsibility, and therefore, the German was given a joker. His luck did not get any better picking up a puncture in Heat 1. 

Trying to correct the wrongs, he battled his way to victory in heats two and three, moving him into the overall standings lead, which meant he would secure pole position for the first semi-final. 

The German continued his strong turn in form winning both the semi-final and final [starting from pole position] crossing the chequered flag just over three-tenths-of-a-second ahead of Kevin Hansen.

“It’s pretty difficult to describe this right now. I feel quite emotional. It wasn't always easy, but we've been always fighting and trying hard to put everything together because competition in World Rallycross is pretty high and I always try to squeeze the most out of what I have. It's super, super tricky, and challenging to beat them [the other elite drivers], but today we managed, so I am not only proud of the team but also proud of myself," he said. 

"After turn one [in the final], I was like, OK, let's do this tight and clean, as good as possible, just to make your way to turn two and three. So when that worked, I was more relaxed. And right after, I just tried to focus on my race. And then the final call with the joker came from my engineer, he just gave me the call at the right time, I guess. But he said, we are clear, it felt amazing, but when we entered the last time."

"I want to dedicate this victory to my dad, who passed away last year. And to all of the fans here in Cape Town – thank you for being amazing!” he added. 

Having had the first opportunity to seal the title, Johan Kristoffersson, admitted to "completely sleeping on the start line. So, I think it's better to go when it's green [he joked]" at the start of the final, enabling Kevin to dive up the inside and into second place. 

Try as he might, the Swede was never able to get back ahead.

"After all, it was a good weekend for me, even though you always want to do more," the five-time World Champion said. "Losing Q2 set the pace for the rest of the day. I got involved in a lot of traffic. It's hard when you feel that you have the pace but you can't use it."

With victory in Cape Town, the two-time DTM Champion has moved up the championship standings to third, with just three points between him and Kevin Hansen. 

Klara Andersson crossed the finish line fourth following a much-improved display compared to the previous day, just ahead of Timmy Hansen, but their positions were switched after the 23-year-Swede was handed a penalty for a breach of AppendixI, Chapter V2 [B] of the FIA's International Sporting code. 

"It was a tough weekend. Both me and Niclas have struggled to find the feeling in the car. It is a difficult track, and the fact that I am here for the first time also plays in," she said. "We have had the same problem all weekend, and experimented with the set-up, and it felt a bit better today."

Her team-mate, Niclas Grönholm – the winner in South Africa four years ago – had a rocky start to the day having had a puncture, and contact during the other heats. 

"It was a tricky weekend. I could not put on whole race together. At times, there were some positive lap times and such, but something was missing all the time," he said.

If Niclas had issues, then OC Veiby had tissues... the Norweigan had endless car trouble, with it either shutting down on track or a crash into the barriers at turn eight, which meant he'd finish in seventh overall just ahead of All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport team owner Rene Munnich.

"I don't know what to say. It's hard to believe all the problems I had this weekend, and we couldn't solve it, because there were no spare parts," Ole Christian stated. 

The 2023 World RX Championship will now move from Cape Town to downtown Hong Kong for the series' title-deciding double-header [final rounds]. 

"It's always fun to head to a new venue in Hong Kong, so that will be fun and then also a new track is always a challenge to go there, and hopefully, a very limited amount of testing as well. It always makes it even more exciting to learn a new track," Kristoffersson said.

FINAL RESULT: WORLD RX

1. Timo Scheider [ALL-INKL Münnich Motorsport]

2. Kevin Hansen [Hansen World RX Team] + 1.021s

3. Johan Kristoffersson [Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS] + 1.344s

4. Timmy Hansen [Hansen World RX Team] + 6.656s

*5. Klara Andersson [CE Dealer Team] + 6.175s 

6. Niclas Gronholm [CE Dealer Team] + 8.532s

*1 position penalty

Kristoffersson rules the roost to further extends championship lead.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Johan Kristoffersson has extended his 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship lead with another convincing win in Cape Town, South Africa on Saturday afternoon.  

It wasn't all plain sailing for Kristoffersson, who had to work hard to fight back after having his unbeaten SuperPole record broken by a hungry Kevin Hansen by the slimmest of margins - 0.081s, whilst three different drivers won the heat races - Johan, Timo Scheider and Timmy Hansen. 

However, it was the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS driver who was more consistent than the rest of the field ending the heats at the summit of the standings ahead of Timmy Hansen and Scheider.

Kristoffersson and team-mate OC Veiby claimed victory in their respective semi-final. The latter had the path opened for him after Timmy Hansen hit a rutt at turn 3, which sent him straight into the barrier on the jump. The older of the Hansen brothers' kept pushing kept it pinned to bring his damaged ZERIOD X1 home in second to seal a place in the final behind the aforementioned Veiby.

Having locked out the front row, it seemed relatively simple for Johan Kristoffersson, who placed his car at a defensive angle from pole position, but with a good start, he luckily survived a turn-one squeeze in the final to make his escape, whilst the Hansen brothers' looked to make the most of their day. 

As Kristoffersson scampered off into the distance, OC Veiby came under immense pressure, to the extent that he defended quite aggressively, leading to Timo Scheider slipping up the inside of both to slot into second on the road, whilst Veiby stopped on track and was later reprimanded for the incident with Timmy. 

Kevin Hansen who jokered on lap 2, kept pushing whilst the drama happened ahead, to claim second over, whilst Johan emerged victorious by 3.915s to claim his 39th career victory. 

“It’s really good to be back and it’s always nice to win,” Kristoffersson said. “It was a tricky day, but I was lucky enough not to be in the traffic too much; I imagine it was easier for me than for the others, because it was difficult to follow with such limited visibility. These cars are a little bit different to the ones we are used to driving and the field is really tight. The first couple of corners in the final were pretty exciting and I actually thought I was going to spin in Turn Two; the track also got quite rutted in places, so I just played it safe to avoid any punctures and bring it home. Now we’ll try to do the same again tomorrow.”

Speaking in the press conference after the final, the top three drivers pointed out that the circuit was quite challenging with the amount of dust, which caused visibility issues, which they have demanded should be fixed with the use of more dust-ex. 

The action continues tomorrow at the Killarney International Racing tomorrow, with Johan potentially on the cards to lift a sixth championship title should be win the final. But, can anyon stop the Super Swede?

"Every piece of the puzzle was there" to lift the 2019 title had Grönholm not suffered from appendicitis.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Niclas Grönholm has firmly established himself as one of the championship stars, with his cool, but calm demeanor. 

In the 2019 season, he was regarded as the quickest driver, and could have challenged for the 2019 title, however, due to appendicitis, he was forced to sit out of two rounds. But, he was quick to rebound with a victory in Norway, and at the season finale in Cape Town, which was overshadowed by the tense title tussle between Timmy Hansen and Andreas Bakkerud. 

Speaking to Rhea Morar at the Killarney International Raceway, the Finn said: "Obviously, it felt good [to win the 2019 World RX of South Africa]. That was the target to win some races after I missed a few races. We couldn't win the championship that was pretty clear, but overall, it still feels quite bad."

"I felt that year I was the most prepared that I've ever been. I had a really good feeling with the car and the driving, and I was physically in really good shape when the season started until I got sick."

Grönholm admits that all the stars aligned in 2019, but unfortunately, a case of appendicitis proved costly for his ambitions to be a world champion that season. 

"So, since then it's not quite the same. I think that year was really a good feeling in the team, and I think every piece of the puzzle was there, but then I didn't go to the doctor in time, but for sure, that was a good year," he said.

Audio Source/Interview Quote: Rhea Morar and Russell Atkins. 

Written By: Junaid Samodien 

Kristoffersson looking forward to Cape Town return with "100 percent win" record.

PHOTO CREDIT: Qnigan/Kristoffersson Motorsport

The FIA World Rallycross Championship 'finally' returns with a double-header in Cape Town, South Africa following a fire at Lydden Hill that destroyed two Special One Racing cars, equipment, and a truck.

After three months on hold, the World Rallycross Championship returns after the FIA World Motor Sport Council elected to continue the championship, but with equal cars, as the investigation into the route cause of a battery fire at Lydden Hill continues. 

Five-time World Champion Kristoffersson took a firm hold on the title fight during the third round of the championship early this season. With a maximum of 69 points up for grabs, and a lead of 27 points over runner-up Niclas Grönholm.

"Finally, it will be a race again! I'm really looking forward to driving in Cape Town," Johan Kristoffersson said. 

"100 percent wins down there. Also, I won the Gymkhana in Johannesburg, so I know worse places to go than South Africa. In general, I also enjoy it there. There are nice people, a nice atmosphere, and very good food."

Despite a big lead in the championship, he doesn't feel completely confident yet.

"It is late in the year, but there are actually more than 50 percent of the competitions still left. You have to be on your guard, but after all, I'd rather sit in my seat with a 27-point lead than have to take risks and chase," the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS driver said.

Team-mate Ole Christian Veiby, on the other hand, will make his competitive debut on South African soil this weekend and said: "It'll be fun. The course looks really fun. We were also fast with these cars in Belgium. It is very important that we have driven this type of car a little before."

The Swedish squad has set a goal for the four remaining rounds - two in Cape Town and two in Hong Kong in November.

"Johan will win the driver's championship, where we will also get Ole Christian up on the podium and then we will secure the team championship," Tommy Kristoffersson, Kristoffersson Motorsport team manager, said.