Mettet win the "perfect outcome" for Kristoffersson after rear wheel damage.

PHOTO CREDIT: Qnigan/Kristoffersson Motorsport.

With all the drama that plagued the FIA RX2e Championship final at Mettet, Belgium on Sunday, it was five-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson who claimed top honors, winning by 5 seconds despite rear-rear wheel damage, as team-mate Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky starred.

With the FIA World Rallycross Championship unable to race at Mettet as investigations continue into the cause of the destructive fire at Lydden Hill two weeks ago, Johan Kristoffersson and fellow World RX drivers Timmy Hansen, Kevin Hansen and Ole Christian Veiby took the opportunity to join the RX2e grid.

It was the younger of the Hansen brothers, Kevin, who initially set the pace on Saturday, but in characteristic fashion, it did not take Kristoffersson long to unlock the pace, with three consecutive heat wins he was propelled to the summit of the overall standings.

A slow start in semi-final one dropped the Swede to third, but he was handed a lifeline when the race was red-flagged following a huge roll for team-mate Veiby.

"I couldn't see a thing. When I turned on the wipers, it got worse," Veiby said. "But things happen when conditions are as tricky as we had here."

Kristoffersson leading the pack with a bent right rear. 
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The five-time world champion grabbed the opportunity, and from that point on was never beaten. He managed rear suspension damage from first-corner contact in the final to fend off his closest pursuers to the chequered flag.

"What a weekend!" Kristoffersson said. "In terms of pace, it was maybe our best so far this year. I’d tested the RX2e car before, but it’s very different in a competitive race situation and the final wasn’t easy at all."

"After the hit into Turn One, I could feel something was broken at the rear. The car was all over the place, and I was just trying to hold onto it and not spin in a straight line! I managed to figure out how I needed to drive and could keep up a reasonable pace, and I was obviously very happy to walk away with the win. That was the perfect outcome."

"I have learnt a lot so it was absolutely the right decision to come here. I always want to race and this time the big thing was to compete against the Hansen brothers in equal cars. It was tricky starting from the inside with the water running down there. I was lucky in the final that Timmy had some wheel spin," he concluded. 

Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky on the other hand has set up a grandstand season finale with a superb drive to second place – which sees her close to just two points shy of team-mate Nils Andersson in the chase for the RX2e title.

"[I'm] extremely happy with this race weekend, the pace, and the work with the team. The goal was to find a good rhythm and enjoy driving, which I definitely did this weekend," Åhlin-Kottulinsky said.  

And, whilst it's joy and elation for some, there is disappointment for others, Ole Henry Steinsholt finished ahead of Mikaela on-the-road, but was later handed a 12-second penalty for "repeated side to side contact". 

Timmy Hansen was running second until the front suspension collapsed sending him into the tyre barrier on the last lap, whilst younger brother Kevin's bid ended in the semi-final stages.

The FIA World Rallycross Championship is scheduled to return to action at Estering, Germany for the sixth round later this month [August 19-20] if and when the green light is given following the ongoing investigations.