A new era, historic circuits, one champion: Johan Kristoffersson’s road to the 2026 Euro RX1 title.

The 2026 FIA Euro RX1 Champion celebrating on his KMS Polo 601 RX.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA European Rallycross Championship.

After more than a decade of highs, lows and uncertainty, the FIA World Rallycross Championship entered a new chapter at the end of 2024, with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) taking charge of the dual-surface discipline following the departure of Rallycross Promoter. The transition marked a significant turning point for rallycross, placing the sport's future firmly in the hands of its governing body.

With the championship’s long-term direction under scrutiny, the FIA European Rallycross Championship emerged as a platform to rebuild the discipline around accessibility, sustainability, and affordability, without losing the character that has made rallycross so compelling.

As the 2026 season approached, the FIA confirmed that the top-tier category (RX1) will return to internal combustion engines, rather than a Battle of Technologies or a push to full electrification. Additionally, the FIA confirmed a six-round calendar featuring some of the most iconic, historic, and celebrated circuits, with the season set to kick off at Biķernieki in Latvia before moving to Nyirád, Höljes, Mondello Park, Lohéac and Lousada in Portugal.

An early sign of the championship’s renewed direction came when three-time European champion Andreas Bakkerud committed to the championship through his own Bergen Motorsport Evolution operation, run by SET Promotion, and driving an ex-Ken Block Ford Fiesta. His return added immediate credibility to the new-look Euro RX1 championship, bringing an established title contender into a series looking to rebuild its international standing.

As the days and weeks passed, the entry list grew steadily, and then came a big announcement. Eight-time FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson, together with teammate Ole Christian Veiby (Kristoffersson Motorsport), would enter the championship season-opener in Latvia.

All roads led to the Biķernieki trase in Latvia for round one of the European Rallycross Championship, with a very healthy 30-car line-up, producing the largest Euro RX1 field for an opening round in almost a decade. As the weekend got underway, Kristoffersson was right on the pace in his Polo KMS 601 RX, and so were Bakkerud, Ole Christian Veiby and Joni Turpeinen, who all emerged as serious contenders for victory. 

Kristoffersson led the intermediate standings after Saturday's qualifying heats; Bakkerud was just eight points behind, followed by Veiby a further three points adrift.

Kristoffersson leading into turn one in Latvia.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA Rallycross Championships.

The eight-time world champion then delivered a typically controlled performance in the final, leading home teammate OC Veiby to secure a KMS 1-2 finish. 17-year-old Turpeinen completed the rostrum, with Bakkerud finishing in fourth.

If the Latvian round suggested anything, it's that Johan Kristoffersson could dominate the season; however, Andreas Bakkerud had other plans as he and the team found more performance from their Ford Fiesta heading into Hungary.

The Red Cauldron (in Nyirád) produced changeable conditions, with intense heat followed by rain and rapidly changing grip levels. Bakkerud set the quickest times when it mattered, to claim the Top Qualifier spot after beating Kristoffersson in Q4 before progressing through the quarter-finals and semi-finals to take pole for the all-important final.

The 2019 World RX runner-up had the best launch off the line, and controlled the race from the front to claim his first win of the season. More importantly, he moved into the championship lead, turning what could have been a one-sided season into a genuine title fight.

The next stop, Höljes, for the Magic Weekend, produced another change in momentum, as Kristoffersson endured a difficult start to his home event, including a black flag for pushing and passing, whilst the championship leader Andreas Bakkerud was caught up in an incident that damaged his Ford Fiesta.

As the heavens opened in Q4, Kristoffersson clicked into high gear, fighting back, winning his quarter-final and reaching the final. Once there, the Swede delivered in front of his home crowd, leading another KMS one-two finish ahead of Veiby. While Casper Jansson completed the podium with his first FIA European Rallycross Championship rostrum.

The victory on home soil restored Kristoffersson to the top of the standings, but Bakkerud remained firmly in title contention.

Andreas Bakkerud leading OC Veiby, with Rytkonen, Turpeinen and Kristoffersson battling for position behind. 
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA Rallycross Championships.

With cars and equipment packed, a 2,604-kilometer journey awaited both teams and drivers, as the European Rallycross Championship set course for Mondello Park, a venue that last hosted the championship more than three decades ago. 

Featuring 75% tarmac and 25% gravel, the 1.395-kilometer circuit added another twist to the championship fight, as Kristoffersson again picked up another black flag on Saturday, opening the door for Bakkerud. 

The Norwegian took the opportunity and put in a strong performance in the qualifying heats to take the Top Qualifiers spot before controlling the Quarter-Final stages. Starting from pole, Bakkerud held off a challenge from OC Veiby to claim his second victory of the season. Veiby finished second, whilst Kristoffersson recovered to third.

After four rounds, Kristoffersson and Bakkerud had effectively shared control of the championship. Kristoffersson secured wins in Latvia and Sweden, while Bakkerud triumphed in Hungary and Ireland. Rallycross fans were truly in for a thrilling final few rounds. 

Just seven points separating championship leader Johan Kristoffersson and second-placed Andreas Bakkerud heading into the French round at Lohéac.

Fabien Pailler leading championship contender Andreas Bakkerud.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA Rallycross Championships.

With the French venue celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026, expectations were high for a memorable weekend at Lohéac. Those expectations were met as local favourite Fabien Pailler delivered a standout performance, securing his maiden Euro RX1 victory in front of an adoring home crowd.

Pailler beat pole-sitter Kristoffersson off the line in the semi-final to seal pole position for the final. He then made another perfect launch in the final, and controlled the race from lights out to the checkered flag. Behind the Frenchman, Bakkerud brought his Fiesta across the line in second - a result that moved him into the championship lead by a single point heading into the final double-header of the season in Lousada. Behind them, Juha Rytkönen finished in third, and Kristoffersson in fourth.

The Frenchman’s victory in Loheac ensured that the championship was more than just a battle between its two biggest names, because Rytkönen, Veiby, Turpeinen and O'Donovan had all shown the pace to challenge at the front. Joni Turpeinen in particular emerged as one of the season's revelations.

As Swedish rock band Europe, sang ‘It’s the final countdown’, tension rose as Lousada hosted the season finale, with a thrilling double-header on the cards. 

For the championship contenders, there were two opportunities to score big. The first round on Saturday featured the first European Rallycross night race, with the semi-finals and final taking place under floodlights.

Bakkerud arrived in Portugal with a one-point advantage over Kristoffersson – game on! 

Kristoffersson struggled off the line in Q1, and lost ground to Bakkerud in Q2. The eight-time Champion responded in Q3 with the fastest time, taking the Top Qualifier spot, whilst Bakkerud was involved in an incident with stablemate Rytkönen and Veiby that resulted in a puncture.

The Norwegian's problems continued in the Quarter-Final when he went wide through turn 2 alongside Casper Jansson and struck the outside wall, picking up another puncture and failing to progress into the semi-finals.

Kristoffersson took full advantage, winning the opening round in Lousada by more than 12.5 seconds to Patrick O'Donovan with Rytkönen in third. 

Once again, the championship standings switched from a one-point deficit to a 36-point advantage with 40 points in play for the final round. The odds were in Kristoffersson’s favour, but Andreas Bakkerud knew it wasn’t over until it was over. He would have to pull off a remarkable comeback to overturn the 36-point deficit. 

The sun rose over Lousada, as Kristoffersson laid down the gauntlet topping the practice sessions on Sunday morning. All the Swede needed to do was reach the semi-finals to clinch the European Rallycross title. 

From the first qualifying heat, Kristoffersson looked determined to secure the title. The Swede topped the overall qualifying standings before winning his quarter-final, and with that result he finally clinched the FIA European Rallycross Championship after years of dominance in World RX.

Even with the title decided, the final in Lousada delivered one last dose of drama. A red flag was flown after an accident involving Kristoffersson’s teammate Ole Christian Veiby and Nils Volland on lap one, whilst Rytkönen arrived at the grid with smoke billowing from his Hyundai i20. The smoke later developed into a fire under the bonnet, and with swift action, the marshals extinguished the flames. The Finn climbed out of his Hyundai i20 to check the cause of the fire, and later climbed back on board, ready to take the restart order.

Starters orders were given, and attention turned to the lights ahead. Fabien Pailler had a great launch and took the lead, while contact between Kristoffersson and O’Donovan sent the Peugeot driver into the guardrail at turn one, ripping off the front-right wheel. Elsewhere Rytkönen, was trundled around with hardly any power and was later forced to retire with engine problems. 

But wait, there’s more: as Kristoffersson hunted down Pailler, the Frenchman hit a rut, sending his car wide and ultimately opening the door for Kristoffersson to slide up the inside and take the lead. Pailler’s hopes of fighting back were dashed because he picked up a puncture.

Kristoffersson celebrating his maiden Euro RX Championship.
PHOTO CREDIT: Wiebke Langebeck.

The newly crowned champion exited the final corner performed a celebratory donut for the adoring fans before crossing the line 52 seconds ahead of Pailler, completing his European title campaign with another victory.

“I really enjoyed the Final. The crowd here has been amazing, so it was nice to have the opportunity to put on a bit of a show for them with the donut in the last corner. It’s been a huge challenge this season, and it was a big job by all the KMS guys to sort out our start problems, but unlocking the secret to making better launches meant we could at last show our true performance, and that’s what we’ve been able to do this weekend. To have been able to turn the tables like that is a good feeling, and I’m very happy. This means a lot to all of us,” Kristoffersson said.

The newly crowned European Rallycross Champion ended the season on 235 points, with Rytkönen second on 175 and Bakkerud third on 171. Veiby finished fourth on 144, followed by Turpeinen on 111 and O'Donovan on 108.

Ultimately, the 2026 FIA European Rallycross Championship delivered exactly what a rebuilding championship needed: a genuine title fight, multiple winners, breakthrough performances, young drivers challenging established stars, and enough unpredictability to keep the championship alive until the final weekend.

At the centre of it all was Kristoffersson. His first European title may have seemed inevitable given his extraordinary record, but it was anything but straightforward. He had to recover from difficult qualifying sessions, overcome incidents and launch problems, and repeatedly respond whenever Bakkerud gained momentum.

Bakkerud, on the other hand, will remember 2026 as the season in which he came astonishingly close to beating the benchmark, Johan Kristoffersson, and delivering a fourth European crown.

Juha Rytkönen's season also established him as a genuine championship contender, whilst stablemate Turpeinen and the emerging drivers showed that the next generation is ready to challenge the established order.

And for the FIA, perhaps the biggest success was seeing the European Rallycross Championship finish its first season of the new era with a title fight that went all the way to Lousada.

SIX REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THE 2026 FIA EURO RX FINALE IN LOUSADA

Andreas Bakkerud leading Johan Kristoffersson in Euro RX1.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA Rallycross Championships.

After years of mounting pressure, rising costs, and dwindling entry lists, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has taken the proverbial steering wheel, guiding the European Rallycross Championship to new heights. 

While the FIA World Rallycross Championship is on hold for the foreseeable future, the European Rallycross Championship has truly soared in 2026, with close racing, the return of legends like Sébastien Loeb for a one-off event and, most importantly, a championship fight that has gone right down to the wire.

Yes, that's right, a single point separates Andreas Bakkerud and Johan Kristoffersson at the summit of the RX1 standings after five rounds, with it set to be decided during a spectacular season-ending double-header at Portugal's Circuito Internacional de Lousada on 11-13 September.

Title deciders are also unique and interesting, but Portugal will turn it up to eleven with the first-ever FIA European Rallycross event to feature competitive action under floodlights. Yes, you read correctly: evening rallycross! 

With a 30-car RX1 field, two championship rounds (a double-header), and the biggest names in rallycross preparing for one final showdown, Lousada has all the ingredients for an unforgettable weekend.

So, why should you tune in for the battle in Portugal? We've prepared six reasons why you should not miss this season finale...

A CLOSE CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT

If there is one reason to watch Lousada, it is the battle for the 2026 FIA European Rallycross Championship RX1 crown.

Andreas Bakkerud left Lohéac just one point clear of Johan Kristoffersson, who has accumulated 157 points across the opening five rounds. This means that after an entire season of racing across Europe, there's virtually nothing splitting two of the discipline's biggest names.

With a second-place finish for Bakkerud behind Fabien Pailler in France, and Kristoffersson in fourth, the championship picture was transformed from hunter to hunted. 

Heading into Portugal with two rounds still to go, neither driver can afford to simply settle for points. A poor start, one mistake, a puncture, an incident with a rival could dramatically change the championship picture.

"We will put on a show,” Tommy Kristoffersson, team principal of KMS, promises. “Many heats remain. We have been in precarious situations before, but have always come back and never left a final as a loser.”

The significance of the battle is also underlined by how the two drivers have performed throughout the season. Kristoffersson has taken victories in Latvia and Sweden, while Bakkerud has also stood on the top step twice, winning in Hungary and Ireland. Neither has been able to break away from the other, and their consistency ensured that the championship has remained incredibly close. Now, with only Lousada remaining, the title fight is perfectly poised.

TWO CHANCES TO FIGHT BACK

The Lousada finale is unlike a conventional championship decider. Rather than having one final opportunity to score points, the Portuguese event will host two complete rounds across the weekend, giving the championship contenders twice the opportunity to gain ground, but also twice the opportunity for things to go wrong.

The unique three-day format will begin on Friday evening, when competitive FIA European Rallycross action takes place under floodlights for the first time in the championship's history.

Saturday will see the remaining qualifying sessions take place before the first Semi-Finals and Finals are contested as daylight fades and the circuit comes alive under artificial lighting. The championship will then reach its final conclusion on Sunday.

Winning on Saturday could put one driver in control of the title fight, only for the situation to change completely again on Sunday. Conversely, a difficult opening round could force a championship contender into full attack mode for the final race of the season.

And in a championship separated by just one point, every qualifying position could prove important.

KRISTOFFERSSON VS. BAKKERUD

Few rivalries could provide a better headline for a championship finale. On one side - Johan Kristoffersson, arguably the benchmark of modern rallycross. The Swede is an eight-time FIA World Rallycross Champion and one of the most successful drivers the discipline has ever produced. Throughout his career, the Swede has demonstrated an ability to perform when championships are on the line.

On the other side of the paddock is Andreas Bakkerud, a driver who has spent years competing at the very highest level of rallycross and knows exactly what it takes to challenge for major titles. The Norwegian came agonisingly close to winning the 2019 World Rallycross Championship, finishing level on points with Timmy Hansen before ultimately being classified as vice-champion by virtue of the countback rule.

The pair have also demonstrated throughout the 2026 season why they remain two of rallycross's biggest names.

Kristoffersson opened the season with a victory in Latvia before adding another win at Höljes in Sweden. Bakkerud responded with victories in Hungary and Ireland, ensuring neither driver could establish a meaningful advantage in the standings.

Lohéac provided another example of just how quickly the momentum can shift. Bakkerud controlled his semi-final before finishing second in the final, while Kristoffersson had to recover from a poor start and fight his way through the field, eventually finishing fourth. That result changed the championship lead.

With Bakkerud now holding the advantage, he heads to Portugal knowing he has the opportunity to beat the benchmark in rallycross, Johan Kristoffersson. 

"It will be exciting in Lousada," Kristoffersson says.

MORE THAN ONE CHAMPIONSHIP BATTLE TO WATCH

While most of the attention will naturally focus on Bakkerud and Kristoffersson, there is another fascinating battle developing behind the title fight. Ole Christian Veiby and Juha Rytkönen arrive in Lousada separated by just one point in the fight for third in the championship.

The Norwegian entered Lohéac third in the standings, but a difficult French round saw him lose significant ground. A poor start in his quarter-final left him fighting from the back, and a mistake on the gravel while attempting to recover ultimately ended his challenge.

Meanwhile, Rytkönen produced one of his strongest performances of the season. The Finn battled his way into the final and then held off Kristoffersson to claim third place behind Fabien Pailler and Bakkerud, allowing him to close dramatically on Veiby in the championship standings.

That means Lousada will not be about who wins the European title. There is also a fight for championship pride, a top-three finish.

Further down the standings, Joni Turpeinen and Casper Jansson are also looking to finish their seasons strongly, with a 30-car strong RX1 field, which means the established championship contenders will have plenty of competition throughout the weekend.

With so many drivers capable of influencing the outcome, Bakkerud and Kristoffersson cannot simply focus on each other.

LOUSADA – THE PERFECT VENUE FOR A FINALE

Circuito Internacional de Lousada, a historic track built in 1984, hosted the Euro RX Championship from 1992 until 2008, after which the Portuguese round moved to Montalegre. Since then, Lousada has been heavily renovated and currently hosts the national rallycross championship. 

The FIA specifically selected the Portuguese circuit for the season finale, describing the venue as one of rallycross's most atmospheric circuits and a fitting place to bring the season to a conclusion.

The Lousada finale will add another layer to the atmospheric element - because for the first time in FIA European Rallycross history, competitive action will take place under artificial lighting, with Friday evening's opening qualifying action marking a new chapter for the championship.

The first round of Semi-Finals and Finals will then take place on Saturday night, creating a completely different visual and sporting spectacle to anything seen previously in Euro RX.

HOW DO I WATCH THE ACTION?

Perhaps one of the best things about the 2026 FIA European Rallycross Championship is how easily available it is. It's live and free! And you don't need any expensive subscription.

Every session from every round is live-streamed and free on the official FIA Rallycross YouTube channel, with coverage also available through the championship's official Facebook page. 

So, whether you are a lifetime rallycross fan, or someone discovering the discipline for the very first time, there has never been an easier way to watch some of Europe's best drivers compete.

With Andreas Bakkerud holding a one-point advantage over Johan Kristoffersson, Ole Christian Veiby and Juha Rytkönen separated by just one point in the fight for third, a 30-car RX1 field and two complete rounds still to come, there is virtually no room for error. Add the first-ever night racing in FIA European Rallycross history, and all the ingredients is there for one of the most memorable championship finales in recent years.

You do not want to miss this one! 

THE 2026 FIA EUROPEAN RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP - RX1 ENTRY LIST