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| PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media |
The team claimed its seventh top 3 result of the 2018 World RX season.
Andreas Bakkerud took third overall at the World RX of USA, while team mate Mattias Ekström finished the final in fifth place after contact with Timmy Hansen (who was handed a time penalty for the contact).
Both EKS Audi Sport drivers made their way into the final with strong performances in the preliminary races: Mattias Ekström held second in the intermediate standings after the first day, and won third qualifying as well as the semi-final on Sunday. With consistently good times in the qualifying sessions and a third place in the semi-final, Andreas Bakkerud also made the final. In the final, Bakkerud drove a strategically smart race and he went on to finish third behind the two VW drivers - Kristoffersson and Solberg.
“I’m delighted about the podium because the weekend was really hard. I started in the difficult outside lane in all the qualifyings and we did our best together with EKS Audi Sport,” said Bakkerud. “Unfortunately here we were unable to beat Volkswagen. But it’s great to compete against the world’s best drivers."
Mattias Ekström was not totally satisfied: after his victory in the semi-final, and started the final race from the front row. The Swede had the best launch off the line and secured the Monster Energy Supercharge award, but lost valuable seconds after a touch from Timmy Hansen and crossed the finish line in sixth place. After Hansen was given a time penalty, Ekström moved up to fifth place. “I’m definitely disappointed that I couldn’t get on the podium, we landed in the wall in a hard fought final and didn’t score many points,” said Ekström.
Despite a mixed weekend for EKS Audi Sport in Texas, Bakkerud is raring to go at the World RX of Germany to continue his charge for the runners up spot in the World RX Championship: "I’m looking forward to the next race in Buxtehude where I’ll continue to fight with Mattias (Ekström), Petter Solberg and Sébastien Loeb for the World Championship runner-up title.”
Both EKS Audi Sport drivers made their way into the final with strong performances in the preliminary races: Mattias Ekström held second in the intermediate standings after the first day, and won third qualifying as well as the semi-final on Sunday. With consistently good times in the qualifying sessions and a third place in the semi-final, Andreas Bakkerud also made the final. In the final, Bakkerud drove a strategically smart race and he went on to finish third behind the two VW drivers - Kristoffersson and Solberg.
“I’m delighted about the podium because the weekend was really hard. I started in the difficult outside lane in all the qualifyings and we did our best together with EKS Audi Sport,” said Bakkerud. “Unfortunately here we were unable to beat Volkswagen. But it’s great to compete against the world’s best drivers."
Mattias Ekström was not totally satisfied: after his victory in the semi-final, and started the final race from the front row. The Swede had the best launch off the line and secured the Monster Energy Supercharge award, but lost valuable seconds after a touch from Timmy Hansen and crossed the finish line in sixth place. After Hansen was given a time penalty, Ekström moved up to fifth place. “I’m definitely disappointed that I couldn’t get on the podium, we landed in the wall in a hard fought final and didn’t score many points,” said Ekström.
Despite a mixed weekend for EKS Audi Sport in Texas, Bakkerud is raring to go at the World RX of Germany to continue his charge for the runners up spot in the World RX Championship: "I’m looking forward to the next race in Buxtehude where I’ll continue to fight with Mattias (Ekström), Petter Solberg and Sébastien Loeb for the World Championship runner-up title.”
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