Kristoffersson extends championship lead despite Battle of Technologies tie in hot Nyirád.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Hungary turns up the heat, as the FIA World Rallycross Championship serves up a thrilling double-header at the 'Red Cauldron', with Niclas Grönholm and Johan Kristoffersson winning Rounds 3 and 4 respectively in the ‘Battle of Technologies’ at the World RX of Hungary. 

Six-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson kickstarted his 2024 campaign in commanding fashion winning both rounds in Holjes, Sweden earlier this month in the teams' newly-developed Volkswagen 601 KMS RX sustainably-fuelled combustion-engined Supercar, while his rivals expect the 'Battle of Technologies' to sway between ICE and EV cars, as the season progresses. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Nyirád's famous 'Red Cauldron' played host to rounds 3 and 4 of the World RX Championship, and boy did it deliver, as Johan Kristoffersson and Kevin Hansen were quite literally locked in a sprint to the tight turn one, with neither of them willing to concedes as the field barrelled into the first corner, and both had heavy impacts into the outside barrier, with Hansen's damaged Peugeot 208 RX1e going no further, whilst Niclas Grönholm, cool as a cucumber navigated his way through to the lead, and eventually, his first victory of the season ahead of new father, and second-placed finisher Ole Christian Veiby by 5.364s with Hungarian Jankó Wieszt reaching the rostrum on his World RX debut. Behind them were champions, Timmy Hansen in fourth and Kristoffersson in fifth, who lost heaps of time due to suspension damage from the turn-one incident.

“I am proud of everyone in the team, they have been working hard and now when we get the results it is amazing. We are here to win and do good, so it is a good reward to everyone and a testament to our core philosophy of equal and sustainable motorsport,” Grönholm said.

Following the final, the FIA Stewards investigated the first corner incident between Johan Kristoffersson and Kevin Hansen, and deemed the reigning World Champion "predominately to blame for the first incident", whilst Hansen was disqualified for "failure to provide footage from the Judicial Camera".

Round 4 Podium - Johan Kristoffersson winner [center], OC Veiby second [left], and Klara Andersson third [right]
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

With temperatures on the rise in Hungary and between rivals, Sunday was another day to find some improvements for all in the field, and that seemed to be the target for Johan Kristoffersson who was fairly mighty, despite damage in the second heat, he posted the fastest lap, and led from lights-to-flag in the semi-final and final, winning Round 4 by 10.809s to further extend his lead in the World RX championship. 

“Yesterday wasn’t a great day, but today was much better!” Kristoffersson said. “It’s been a great first experience here in Hungary and it’s been nice to see so many fans. I got a good start in the final and could then control the race from there – I wasn’t pushing hard. I just tried to drive smoothly and avoid making any mistakes. If I’d needed a real ‘killer’ lap, I’m pretty sure I could have gone quicker...”

Like a 24-hours earlier, OC Veiby finished second once again to jump from fourth to second in the drivers’ standings, while Klara Andersson came home third.

"Twice P2 is absolutely acceptable. Up to second place in the championship as well and many team points. It can't get any better," Veiby said.

Klara Andersson has been on fantastic form – but when margins are so tight a brush with a barrier on the joker lap in Saturday’s semi-final denied her a place in the Round 3 final, while bent steering after contact with the barriers at the first comer hampered her efforts of winning Sunday’s Round 4.

“It was a tough weekend, but I’m really happy to finish on the podium today. The car felt great, and winning two heats was a big highlight. A big decision today was switching to rain tires for the final, and it paid off as we secured third place. Standing on the podium and earning good points felt amazing. Sharing third place in the championship with Niclas is a great comeback from yesterday, but I know there’s more potential to unlock,” said Klara Andersson.

PHOTO CREDIT: RED BULL CONTENT POOL

Coming into the Hungarian weekend, the Hansen World RX team drivers expected EV cars to get one over their sustainably-fuelled internal-combustion-engined rivals, but it was yet another difficult weekend. 

Timmy Hansen finished fourth in both Saturday and Sunday’s finals, which was a scant reward for the driver’s efforts.

"A big thank you to our team. They worked until the early hours of the morning preparing for today and fixing the damage from yesterday. They did an amazing job and the cars were like new. The 'Battle of Technologies' is still in favour of the ICE cars, we are 160kg heavier than them and even with our extra power we can't seem to get the advantage," Timmy said. "We are fighting with the CE Dealer Team for best of the electric, and that fight is looking very close. We've got testing tomorrow so we'll be looking into everything and improving where we can ahead of Belgium."

The Hansen World RX team may still be searching for its first podium result of 2024, but nevertheless, Kevin and Timmy remain a close fourth and fifth in the points table respectively.

"This weekend has been a tough one for all of us. It was a very hot couple of days so it has been a real challenge to keep pushing forward, but the team were amazing and we kept improving the car step by step. We were much more in the fight today and that was a good feeling. Unfortunately, we couldn't get all the way to the podium on either day this weekend, but we'll keep pushing until we get that win," the younger Hansen brother said.

Jankó Wieszt reaches the podium on debut.
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Having celebrated a third-place finish on Saturday, the former Hungarian rallycross champion Jankó Wieszt was involved in an incident on the run up to turn one in Sunday's semi-final, and after wheel-to-wheel contact, his Renault Megane rotated sharp left and hit the tyre wall bringing out a Red Flag.

It wasn't smooth sailing for Rene Munnich either, as he was denied a place in the final after a turn-one incident as well, but just a day later, he made it through the semi-final, on course to a sixth-place finish on Sunday. 

World RX returns on 17 to 18 August at Mettet, Belgium for rounds 5 and 6. Can anyone stop Kristoffersson? 

PREVIEW: Rivals look to capitalize, as the high altitude Nyirád could favour the electric cars.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Fresh from a thrilling season-opener in Holjes, Sweden, where six-time Champion Johan Kristoffersson dominated, the 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship now heads to Hungary for the first time this weekend, as Nyirád’s famous ‘Red Cauldron’ prepares to stage the third and fourth rounds in the new ‘Battle of Technologies’.

The new era of World RX kicked into high gear earlier this month, in magical Holjes, a venue that the drivers' and teams know all too well, having raced and tested on for years, but in the dual surfaced championships tenth year, the new era of Battle of Technologies has seen sustainably-fuelled internal-combustion engined cars take on their electric counterparts. 

Firing on all cylinders... Johan Kristoffersson launched his quest for a seventh crown in commanding fashion winning both rounds on home soil, despite a good fight from the CE Dealer Team's Klara Andersson and Niclas Gronholm over the course of the double-header weekend.

Andersson was particularly impressive, having secured pole position for the final on the opening day, however, she came unstuck at the launch and ultimately secured her best result to date, a second place. Her ice-cool-natured team-mate Niclas also secured a second-place finish just 24 hours later.

Right behind them is Kristoffersson's team-mate Ole Christian Veiby who started both finals from the second row of the grid, and secured a fifth-place on day one. A day later, the Norwegian stalled on the grid, but recovered to a third-place finish, a stall that Kristoffersson claimed was worth a "parking ticket".

Along with their two internal combustion Supercars, KMS fielded their two electric cars for Sondre Evjen and Gustav Bergstrom in Sweden. The latter claimed a third-place finish on day one and is currently fifth in the championship ahead of the Hansen World RX Team drivers' who had a weekend to forget despite reaching the final on both days. 

Right behind the Hansen's were, Anthony Pelfrene, Sondre Evjen, and Rene Munnich who debuted a new internal-combustion-engined Seat Ibiza, but finished 10th in both rounds, and will be hoping for a stronger weekend in Hungary.

In Nyirád, a new face joins the grid in the form of former Hungarian Rallycross Champion Jankó Wieszt, who will race an ex-GCK Renault Mégane RS RX Supercar.  

THE TRACK: Nyirád Racing Center [Red Cauldron]

THE TRACK INFORMATION:

Track Length: 1.220 metres in length

Joker Lap: 1.290 meters 

Tarmac/Dirt: 52%/48%

The legendary Hungarian rallycross circuit Nyirád Racing Center makes its FIA World Rallycross debut in 2024, located just 25 kilometres from Hungary’s famous Lake Balaton. The circuit, which is located in a pit, is nicknamed “Red Cauldron” due to the distinctive colour of its dirt surfaces.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

TALK THE TALK:

KMS-HORSE Powertrain

DRIVER: Johan Kristoffersson: 

"A technical and tricky track that I think will suit us very well. I think there will be big differences between the two technologies depending on which track we arrive at.That's why it was so important for us to get a good result and pick up our points in Höljes, on a track that suited our cars quite well. However, when we get to Portugal at high altitude, I think we will be far behind the electric cars."

DRIVER: Ole Christian Veiby

"It will be hot, but it will be good. Now we aim for a 1-2 for the team."

HANSEN WORLD RX TEAM

DRIVER: Timmy Hansen

“Höljes was a bit more challenging than we hoped for, it seems like we’ve got to do a lot of work to understand the new tyre but as always there’s great motivation within the team. We’re pushing forward with new ideas so I’m excited to come to Hungary. We want to fight for one step higher in the results than we were in Sweden. Hungary is where I got my first ever win in Supercars back in 2013 and it’s the first time since then the championship returns so there is lots to look forward to.”

DRIVER: Kevin Hansen

“I’m looking forward to Hungary, it’s the first time I’ve been back since 2019 and last time out I had a race win in another series. It’s one of the more exciting tracks as it’s super narrow and quick – you could say it’s the Monaco track of Rallycross as it is so narrow between the walls. Hopefully, this track suits our technology a bit better but we are well prepared and working hard to improve all the time. There are obviously restraints on how much we can improve our car over a season due to the regulations however we are doing our best to figure out a way forward to improve from Höljes.”

CE DEALER TEAM 

DRIVER: Niclas Gronholm

“It's going to be a very interesting race on such an iconic track. Although I’ve never raced at Nyirád before, I’m really looking forward to it. We will continue to work hard to build on the pace we had in Höljes, and keep challenging at the front."

DRIVER: Klara Andersson

"I’m really excited to head to Hungary and continue the season. It’s great to arrive with positive momentum and good points in both championships after Höljes. I’ve never raced in Hungary before, but the track looks like a lot of fun. An old-school circuit with plenty of elevation changes and high speed. It’s going to be tough, as always, but we’re motivated to keep up the speed and grab more points for the championship."

2024 FIA WORLD RX OF SWEDEN: ENTRY LIST

Johan Kristoffersson (KMS-Horse Powertrain) - VW Polo KMS 601 RX

Ole Christian Veiby (KMS-Horse Powertrain) - VW Polo KMS 601 RX

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - Peugeot 208 RX1e

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - Peugeot 208 RX1e

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) - PWR RX1e

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) - PWR RX1e

Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) - Seat Ibiza

Anthony Pelfrene (JDM Raptor Racing) - Peugeot 208 WRX

Jankó Wieszt (Impossible RX Team) - Renault Megane R.S. RX

Round 3 & 4 - Karai Trans World RX of Hungary (CAT Times)

SATURDAY:

HEAT 1: 12:32

HEAT 2: 14:15

SEMI-FINAL: 16:00

FINAL: 16:38

PODIUM: 16:50

SUNDAY:

HEAT 1: 11:00

HEAT 2: 12:25

SEMI-FINAL: 15:00

FINAL: 15:40

PODIUM: 15:50

2024 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS - CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS [AFTER ROUND 2]:

1) Johan Kristoffersson (KMS-HORSE Powertrain) - 58 POINTS

2) Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) - 36

3) Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) - 36

4) Ole Christian Veiby (KMS-HORSE Powertrain) - 35

5) Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) - 33

6) Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - 31

7) Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - 29

8) Anthony Pelfrene (JDM Raptor Racing) - 16

9) Sondre Evjen (Kristoffersson Motorsport) - 15

10) Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) - 7

11) Jankó Wieszt (Impossible RX Team) - DEBUT THIS ROUND

KMS made the “right choice” choosing combustion engines, Timmy Hansen says.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross/Red Bull Content Pool

2019 World RX Champion Timmy Hansen reckons Kristoffersson Motorsport has made the right decision choosing combustion engines, over electric powertrains for the 2024 season. 

In 2024, the FIA World Rallycross Championship has undergone a significant change, instead of a single-powered series, drivers' will now go head-to-head in the 'Battle of Technologies', in which internal combustion-engined cars will take on their electric counterparts. 

Fans and teams alike had their first taste of what's to come this season, two weeks ago in Holjes Sweden, where Kristoffersson Motorsport, under the banner KMS - HORSE Powertrain, fielded two newly-developed Volkswagen Polo Supercars, with internal combustion engines, instead of using the retro-fitted Kriesel electric powertrain kit.

Much like KMS, All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport, and Anthony Pelfrene also opted for internal combustion engines, with Rene Munnich driving the team's latest Seat Ibiza Supercar.

Also returning in 2024, the CE Dealer Team and Hansen World RX both entered their electric RX1e cars, with KMS also fielding, Sondre Evjen and Gustav Bergstrom, in their championship-winning electric Volkswagen Polo RX1e's. 

But, much like a year ago, Johan Kristoffersson led the charge topping both practice sessions on Saturday and Sunday, on course to winning both rounds, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing, as he picked up a two-position grid penalty for contact with Niclas Gronhom on Saturday, but, despite he still powered through to win the final by 2 seconds from a quick Klara Andersson, who achieved her best result in the world championship to date. 

Klara Andersson achieved second place in Round 1 of the World RX Championship in Holjes. 
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

For the Hansen World RX Team, it was a slightly trickier weekend, as both Timmy and Kevin [Hansen] made the final on both days, but were unable to reach the rostrum finishing fourth and sixth respectively on both days. 

Speaking to Hal Ridge on the Sunday Paddock Walk, Timmy Hansen explained: “The performance wasn't really there, but I think the conditions really suited the combustion cars, because with the electric car, we have this extra power, and we're also carrying a lot more weight. Were actually never on full throttle on this lap.” 

“And, also the way the transmission is built makes it much easier to brake with the combustion cars compared to the electric. Yeah, like in the finals, it was pure aquaplaning on the gravel,” he added.

Hansen went on further to explain that “I lost a massive amount of time, I don't really know what happened [in the wet conditions]. Yeah, of course, like disappointing, but still also I feel like we couldn't have gotten more points from this weekend. So, I think we grabbed everything that we could for my side, but of course we want to be better. I think also the season will sometimes be an advantage for the electric cars, hopefully. But yeah, for Höljes, I think KMS made the right choice to go combustion."

The six-time World Champion Kristoffersson admits that the Holjes double-header was “almost as perfect as it gets. 28 points in the first, 30 today, two points from full pot.”

He admits, "I think what I'm most proud of this weekend, to be honest [was the launches]. Perhaps the best start I have ever made with a petrol car on a wet surface. I tried to copy it in the final, but it didn't quite work out. There are extremely small margins and many parameters that come into consideration.”

His start in the final on Sunday in treacherous conditions was “good enough” to stay ahead of Niclas Gronholm “thanks to a superb car”. 

“A huge thank you to the team who have done a fantastic job all weekend,” the Swede said.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

With two rounds complete, the World RX championship rolls on to the ‘Red Cauldron’ in Nyirád, Hungary, later this month. 

Timmy Hansen admits that he is looking forward to the world championships return to Hungary, and said: “I got my first-ever Supercar win there, so it's fantastic memories! The track is so raw, so extreme, so rallycross. So, it will be great to be back there with the world championship and this generation of cars, which are incredibly fast.So, it will be a challenging weekend, it's a very punishing circuit where the walls are like super close and you need to send it.”

SEASON PREVIEW: CHAPTER III - The RISE of the auto-BoT's.

Six-time World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson leading the pack in the newly-developed KMS 601 RX in Tierp.
PHOTO CREDIT: RallyX Nordic. 

Like a captivating action novel, with all the thrills and spills, the FIA World Rallycross Championship will write a new chapter in 2024.

With every novel, it all starts with the Prologue, and in 2014, the FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX) entered its inaugural season, which took place over the course of 12 rounds beginning in Portugal and concluding in Argentina, with Petter Solberg (Mr. Hollywood) clinching the inaugural crown.  

As the years ticked by the dual surfaced championship experienced, the high of highs, and the low of lows, namely, when manufacturers like Audi, Volkswagen, Ford, and Peugeot entered the championship, and unfortunately departed in 2018, due to uncertainty surrounding the transition to electric, but like a phoenix, World RX rose from the ashes into an independent team championship, with a handful of teams competing within Europe, and abroad, with races in South Africa, Austin and Hong Kong.

The 2018 World RX of South Africa - ICE era.
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The global expansion meant fans all across the globe were exposed to the earth-vibrating internal combustion engines, which quickly became a fan favorite.

As World RX looked to a new era, IMG stepped down as the commercial promoter for the world championship. 

And, as the FIA issued a tender for a new promoter, RX Promoter stepped in, and to this day oversee the championship. 

After seven years of internal combustion engines, in 2021, it was decided that World Rallycross would go fully electric, with powertrains fully developed and supplied by Kreisel Electric, which would be retrofitted into the current chassis.

For the inaugural electric season, four teams confirmed their participation with 8 cars taking to the grid, whilst Guerlain Chicherit debuted, a Lancia Delta Evo-E at the season finale at the Nurburgring in 2022. 

Johan Kristoffersson dominated the season, winning all but two events on course to a fifth title, in the KMS-developed Volkswagen Polo RX1e, which is based on the R5 rally chassis.  

The two Special One Racing cars were gutted by flames in Lydden Hill.
PHOTO CREDIT: Unknown.

The second season went as smooth as silk, but as smooth as it was, an unfortunate incident occurred at Lydden Hill, United Kingdom, when a destructive battery fire completely gutted two SpecialOne Racing Lancia Delta Evo-E’s, and the teams’ equipment. As a result, a few rounds were canceled, and the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) decided to continue the season in RX2e cars. 

The 2023 season continued in Cape Town, and concluded in Hong Kong with equal RX2e machinery, while the investigation and a solution were found for the battery fire, and whilst the immediate future of World RX seemed quite bleak, a surprise announcement came from the World Motor Sport Council, who announced significant changes to the championship, effectively Chapter 3, the Rise of the auto-BoT’s, but unlike, the much loved Transformers franchise, World RX, as we know it, will transform from a single powered series to a Battle of Technologies, whereby electric-powered (EV) cars will go head-to-head with internal combustion (ICE) cars on equal terms.

Johan Kristtoffersson leading the field in the final fully electric 2023 season. 
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

So, why the Battle of Technologies?14-time European Rallycross Champion, and team principal of Hansen Motorsport, Kenneth Hansen explains: “One of the reasons we will have the ‘Battle of Technologies’ in World RX this year is that we have a similar situation on public roads. When we look out on the streets we see EVs, hybrids, and combustion cars – and motorsport has always been about race-to-road technology transfer. We have to keep innovating – that’s how we remain relevant.” 

“Many combustion-engined rallycross cars already use electric pumps and fans with battery technology, so we have an intriguing mix and for me, it would be very interesting moving forward to also add hydrogen cars to World RX’s ‘Battle of Technologies. I’m very excited for the future,” Hansen added.

So, apart from the Battle of Technologies, what else is new? Let’s take a look, shall we… 

WEEKEND FORMAT

The sporting format for the 2024 season will evolve, as drivers will be incentivized to push flat-out on every single lap from the heats to the checkered flag in the final. 

But, let’s get into the nitty-gritty… Each race round will begin with a practice session, to allow drivers to get into the zone and find a good baseline set-up...

The SuperPole shootout, which debuted in 2022 has been replaced with pre-determined starting positions for all heats, in which drivers will line up alongside one another. This will ensure great parity by reducing the jeopardy that comes with track evolution, and grid slots, which means every driver will compete in the first race of four heats once. This will be adapted accordingly for races featuring more or less than four cars, and double-header events will comprise fewer heats.

Drivers will race for position rather than time, making the format more easily understandable, and championship points will be awarded in all heat races, from five for the winner down to a single point for fifth place. Non-finishers will receive a single point, while non-starters score zero. Failure to take the joker lap will result in a one-point deduction, with disqualification being penalized by the loss of at least two championship points. The points scored during the heats will form the basis for the ranking, with tie-breaks resolved in favour of the driver who achieved better results from starting positions further from pole.

The top 12 drivers in the classification will advance to the semi-finals, with those placed first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, and 11th participating in semi-final one and those placed second, fourth, sixth, eighth, tenth, and 12th lining up in semi-final two. Each semi-final will take the form of a six-car race on a two-by-two grid, and like the heats, will run over five laps.

Ten championship points will be awarded to each semi-final winner, with eight points going to the runner-up and then six points, four points, two points, and one point respectively for the remaining finishers. Non-finishers will receive one point, while non-starters will not score. Failure to take the joker lap will result in a one-point deduction, with disqualification being penalized by the loss of at least two championship points.

The same format and scoring system applies to the final, contested by the top three finishers from each semi-final. The positions in the ranking will determine which of the semi-final winners begins the final on pole – with the higher-ranked driver taking precedence. The same logic will decide the grid positions for the second and third-placed semi-finalists.

The maximum possible score from a race weekend will, therefore, be 40 championship points, with all points counting towards the overall classification. Should two drivers end up tied on points, they will be separated by the most wins in finals (and then second places, third places, and so forth if necessary).

I’VE GOT THE POWER

The Battle of Technologies era will allow teams to use retro-fitted Kreisel Electric powertrains, or Internal Combustion Engines with biofuels. But, how does it work from a regulations point of view? 

ELECTRIC POWERTRAINS

No modifications are allowed to the electric kit composed of a RESS, two motors, and two inverters. 

A driver may use up to 2 electric motors (or sets of seals), 1 battery pack (or set of seals), and 2 inverters (or sets of seals) in a Championship season. Electric motors, RESS, and inverters will be sealed.

The penalty for any breach of this rule, the use of more components than allowed in the Championship year, will be the deduction of 15 Championship points for each offense. These points will be deducted from the Championship point total scored by the Driver and Team. In exceptional circumstances (accident generating serious damage to the components or technical problem not imputable to the Competitor), jokers may be granted at the discretion of the FIA stewards following the technical report from the appointed supplier and the FIA technical delegate.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

The same goes for internal combustion engines, however, there are slight tweaks, a driver may use up 2 engines (or sets of seals) in a Championship season. Engines will be sealed and a driver may present up to 2 at scrutineering during the Championship year. 

The penalty for any breach of this rule, the use of 3 or more engines in the Championship year, will be the deduction of 15 Championship points for each offense. These points will be deducted from the Driver’s Championship total. In exceptional circumstances (accident generating serious damage to the engine), a joker may be granted at the discretion of the FIA.

In RX1, a Driver may use 2 turbos (or sets of seals) in each Competition and 3 turbos during the Championship year. The penalty for any breach of this rule, the use of more than 2 turbos in any Competition or more than 3 turbos in the Championship year, will be the deduction of 10 Championship points for each offense. These points will be deducted from the Driver’s Championship total. Competitors must present their spare turbo at initial scrutineering for identification and sealing.

With the return of electric powertrains this season, it remains to be seen, if any upgrades or changes will, or have been made following the Lydden Hill fire. 

Slipstream SA has reached out to the spokesperson of World RX to enquire about possible changes to the powertrain kits, and at the time of publishing this preview, we have not heard back, should we receive a comment, we will update this story.  

World RX has selected Hoosier Racing Tires from 2024 and beyond.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media. 

GETTING TO GRIP[S]

World RX says goodbye to Cooper Tires in 2024, and helllooo Hoosier Racing Tires, who have been appointed the exclusive tire suppliers for the FIA World and European Rallycross Championships. 

AND WAIT THERE’S MORE…

For 2024, tyre cleaning by spinning the wheels is not allowed. 

TESTING, TESTING, 1, 2,3…

As with every season, track testing will be prohibited, however, there is an exception for teams and drivers running cars in other championships. Additionally, testing will be allowed if a collective test is carried out, but no championship tracks can be used. 

TALK THE TALK

'Change is inevitable, growth is an option…' Well, the World Rallycross Championship encountered significant changes, when Rallycross Promoter took over, with immediate changes. The voice of Rallycross Andrew Coley, and expert Dan Rooke made way for Martin Haven, Nick Fellows, as lead commentators with the support of Hal Ridge, as the expert. 

In 2024, Nick Fellows will be replaced by Mike "Chenny" Chen, who is a familiar face for WRC fans, he will be joined in the commentary box by Hal Ridge. 

THE GRID...

With a new era of World RX just around the corner, Hansen Motorsport, CE Dealer Team, and KMS Horse Powertrain formally confirmed their participation in the Battle of Technologies, with the latter opting for internal combustion-engined cars. 

Kevin Hansen, who will line up alongside his older brother Timmy, in their electric Peugeot 208 RX1e cars, is quite excited about the Battle of Technologies: “I’m really excited about racing different technologies side-by-side. It will be fascinating to see where the strengths and weaknesses are and how the battle will evolve from track to track. From my perspective, I’m just driving my car so it won’t make a difference there, but racing against cars with different strengths will be great for overtaking and cool battles.”

“I think the most excited are fans and new people I’ve spoken to. It’s something that everyone always compares when it comes to the road – how the range is – but for the first time we will see which is actually the strongest of the technologies,” he added.

The KMS Horse Powertrain - VW Polo KMS 601 RX Supercar.

In motorsport, nothing ever stands still, it’s a game of evolve or be left behind, and in this case, Kristoffersson Motorsport developed an all-new beast, named the: KMS 601 RX, based on the super successful Polo RX1e chassis, and guess what? The Swedish squad debuted their new car at the RallyX Nordic season-opener in Tierp, Sweden last month, and took home the Silverware. 

Having initially voiced some uncertainty regarding their future in the World Championship, on 13 June 2024, the announcement soon came, that Kristoffersson Motorsport will return to World RX with a new partner, HORSE Powertrain, and two internal combustion engined Supercars. Yes, that’s right! KMS – Horse Powertrain will tackle the 202raced 4 Championship with their newly developed Polo Supercars, which will run on biofuels. 

German team, All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport, who have run the same Seat Ibiza chassis for a few years, have now developed a new Ibiza, that team owner Rene Munnich will race this year.

VIDEO CREDIT: Mattias Ekstrom [Instagram]

But wait, there’s more, 2016 World Champion and master tactician Mattias Ekstrom flirted with a potential return in his Audi S1 Quattro with an Instagram post in December following the World Motor Sport Council decision, saying: “shall I give electric guys a run for their money?”

Well, the idea of an Ekstrom return would be quite exciting, but unfortunately, that will remain a thought for now, as the official Round One entry list has been published. 

THE CARS

ELECTRIC

Hansen World RX Team - Peugeot 208 RX1e

CE Dealer Team - PWR RX1e

Kristoffersson Motorsport - Volkswagen RX1e

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

KMS - HORSE Powertrain - VW Polo KMS 601 RX

All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport - Seat Ibiza 

JDM Raptor Racing - Peugeot 208 WRX 

THE 2024 CALENDAR

ROUND 1: Ferratum World RX of Sweden – 06 July 2024

ROUND 2: Ferratum World RX of Sweden – 07 July 2024

ROUND 3: World RX of Hungary – 27 July 2024

ROUND 4: World RX of Hungary – 28 July 2024 

ROUND 5: World RX of Benelux – 17 August 2024

ROUND 6: World RX of Benelux – 18 August 2024

ROUND 7: World RX of Portugal – 07 September 2024

ROUND 8: World RX of Portugal – 08 September 2024

ROUND 9: World RX of Australia – 30 November 2024

ROUND 10: World RX of Australia – 01 December 2024

Now, that you’ve read it all, and then some, let’s gooooooo racing!