Bakkerud predicts that title fight will be decided in Cape Town.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media.

Andreas Bakkerud believes that the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship will be decided at the season finale in Cape Town.

Bakkerud claimed his first win of the season in Canada and is now within 5 points of the championship leader Kevin Hansen. 

Since the withdrawal of EKS Audi Sport, Peugeot Sport, and Volkswagen Motorsport - the championship has been wide open and very unpredictable. 

The 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship has seen six different winners in the seven rounds to date, with Timmy Hansen [Team Hansen MJP] being the only repeat winner of the season. 

"It's crazy this year - there have been so many ups and downs for everyone, it's not only for me or not only Kevin or Timmy [Hansen]," Bakkerud said. "It's very unpredictable - and I think it will be a race to the checkered flag in Cape Town."

With one win under his belt, the RX Cartel driver aims to push hard to the checkered flag in Cape Town. 

"We are for sure going to push everything that we can and focus on the tasks - do good starts, keep the car in one piece and try not to do too many crazy things like in Q4 for example," he said. "And, at the end of the day, we need to count the points after the checkered flag in Cape Town."

"I don't think it's going to be easy to win this year. I think it's going to be rather hard - you need some luck and you need some good results first of all."

There are many unknowns heading to the final three rounds of the championship, but Bakkerud is realistic and admits that anything can happen. 

"Looking at the next couple of races - I am not really sure of how it's going to be."

"I was wrong on this event, but you never know what's going to happen to go to France, Riga and to Cape Town. A couple of races in France have been good to me. Riga - ups and downs. Cape Town - never been my favorite track. So, it's going to be tricky, but you never know."

A new FIA World Rallycross Champion will be crowned this season. Who do you think will be crowned the '2019 FIA World Rallycross Champion': Kevin Hansen, Andreas Bakkerud or Timmy Hansen? 

TICKETS for the World RX of South Africa are available here: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/70540-fia-world-rallycross-of-south-africa/#/

TEXT - Junaid Samodien