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