The journey of 15-year-old Einar Friberg: from sweeper to tyre manager.

PHOTO CREDIT: Kristoffersson Motorsport. 

A journey into the motorsport world usually begins with a career in karting, a wealth of experience in mechanics or a degree in engineering, but for 15-year-old Einar Friberg, it was a journey that started with a broomstick, and finished in him being five-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson's tire manager. 

Being in the sixth grade, it was time for Friberg to get a prao place, and with the Kristoffersson Motorsport workshop, just a few kilometers from his home in Jössefors, it was an ideal opportunity for the young Swede. 

Born into a family with rich motorsport history and involvement, it was only a matter of time before Einar ended up in the world of motorsport. The family legacy began with grandfather Ove "Findus" Friberg who was a car salesman and rally driver, whilst his grandmother's father was the legendary "Sulviks-Einar", a master craftsman who designed his own cars. His father Erik also works in motorsport, and on Per Eklund's cars. 

Einar Friberg and Tommy Kristoffersson posing with the 2022 Polo RX1e door.
PHOTO CREDIT: Kristoffersson Motorsport

Kristoffersson Motorsport team boss Tommy Kristoffersson recalls Einar's first visit to the team, "He came here by car, and provided to be really willing to work."

Having been handed a broom, Einar dabbled in a bit of everything, as he mentions: "Among other things, I had to wash Johan's STCC car. After that I came back and worked during the autumn holidays and then every summer holiday. I've really tinkered with everything."

With the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS about to embark on a historic rallycross year (in 2022), with three newly built electric cars, Friberg was of course really keen to join the adventure. And, after showing his willingness to learn and gain experience. The Swede immediately got involved in pre-season races in Holjes and Strangnas. 

The 15-year-old then joined the team at the Holjes, Sweden test, and was given the tire management role. 

"When I heard Tommy read out my name as a regular team member, I got chills," Einar said.  "After that, we were going straight to Hell and I became the tire manager on Johan's car."

The now five-time world champion Johan Kristoffersson had the youngest tire manager in the world championship pitlane.

Johan Kristoffersson said: "It hasn't been noticed that he is (the youngest). It has worked great. I recognize myself a little in Einar. I was about his age when I myself started working in the team."

"It's not really that strange that he has worked his way up so quickly. He is constantly on the spot and wants to move forward, hanging over the shoulder of the more experienced mechanics to learn more. Then it is natural to move on to more advanced tasks."

Friberg admits that he left nothing to chance during his first major assignment.

"I put in just about as much work as I could, wrote down all the times, tried to keep track of the weather, checked the temperature of the tires and talked to Johan about how he wanted to prioritize," he said.

He handled the task flawlessly and for Johan the season started with victory. Before the next round in Riga, Einar, asked Tommy if he could come along there as well. To which, Kristoffersson asked, "are ready to be with the whole season?".

There was no hesitation from the team boss in that situation.

"Einar is fantastic. He's here first in the morning and last out here in the evening. He has started at the very bottom of the ladder and worked his way up. Despite his 15 years, he has become a very natural part of our team and is completely accepted by all the others," Kristoffersson said.

Cape Town, Lydden Hill, and Asia feature on e-xciting new-look 2023 World RX calendar

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The FIA World Rallycross Championship will celebrate it's tenth season, with the series’ freshly-unveiled calendar featuring iconic venues, an intriguing new addition and the return of some old favourites including the fabled birthplace of the sport.

The ten-round 2023 calendar will see action get underway at Hell in Norway in mid-June, before moving to arguably the discipline’s most famous circuit – Höljes in Sweden – for the legendary ‘Magic Weekend’ at the beginning of July, which will mark World RX’s 100th round.

Three weeks later, the championship will return to Britain for the first time since 2019, with a summer sojourn to Lydden Hill, where rallycross was born more than half-a-century ago.

Classic Belgian track Mettet – is up next, followed by ever-popular Montalegre track, whose revised layout in 2022 generated some of the most spectacular racing of the season.

The final European stop on the schedule will be the Estering (Germany) in September. The characterful track has been absent from the calendar since 2018, and was the scene of one of the most memorable moments in World RX history, when Kevin Eriksson famously ‘sent it’ all the way around the outside and into the lead at the first corner on his way to victory in 2016.

Following the European leg of the season, the cars will be transported to Cape Town to do battle at Killarney International Raceway, in the shadow of Table Mountain. The last time the series set foot in South Africa, Timmy Hansen and Andreas Bakkerud thrilled fans with a sensational duel for the Drivers’ crown, which ended dramatic fashion, with Hansen ultimately coming out on top.

The season will conclude just over a month later at a yet-to-be-announced new venue in Asia, with details to follow.

"We are pleased to present the 2023 World RX calendar, which we believe represents the very best of rallycross and which has been the subject of a huge effort behind the scenes in recent months. It clearly looks slightly different to recent seasons, and we are delighted to finally be ‘spreading our wings’ and venturing outside of Europe again," Arne Dirks, Executive Director, Rallycross Promoter GmbH, said.

"Ever since taking over as promoter of this great championship, we have been committed to returning to Cape Town to showcase World RX in front of the enthusiastic South African fans, and we are hugely excited to be adding a new event in Asia to the line-up, which truly underscores the series’ World Championship credentials.

"At the same time, the re-introduction of three charismatic European venues in Lydden Hill, Mettet and Estering reflects our desire to celebrate rallycross’ rich heritage and traditions while embracing the sport’s electric future. Similarly, the large crowds seen at Hell, Höljes, Montalegre and Nyirád this year are testament to those circuits’ enduring appeal. We can’t wait to go racing!"

FORMAT CHANGES FOR 2023?

The WMSC has also announced a return to a more traditional racing format, with four heats for five cars maximum (where grids are decided by results of the previous heat), and semi-finals with six cars. This is a complete role reversal from the 2022 season, with Superpole being retained from the 2022 format.

From elation to disqualification - Kenneth Hansen explains.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Kevin Hansen was disqualified from the World RX of Germany final on Sunday afternoon due to a technical infringement on the "lower wishbone".

The younger of the two Hansen brothers had a pretty solid weekend at the Nurburgring, despite Johan Kristoffersson's dominant drive, but after great drive to second place in the final, and almost a guaranteed third-place in the drivers' championship. The Swede was stripped of the result, which promoted Niclas Gronholm to third in the championship. 

So, what happened? Well, after post-race inspections, the Stewards determined that "the lower wishbone from the left side of the car did not comply with the declaration form" meaning it was overweight. 

Kenneth Hansen explained: "I was really surprised because I am the one who checks the parts and weights – we had one front wishbone that was 90 grams too heavy. The wishbone had been repaired, it shouldn’t have been on the car and it was only on one side, but still it was too heavy."

The Hansen World RX team principal clarified that there was no performance gain from the technical infringement, however, they accept and took the penalty. 

"There was no performance gain but it should conform and we took the penalty," Hansen said. "It’s a hard punishment, but we just have to take it. It’s my responsibility and it was purely a mistake. Overall, our 2023 season already starting this weekend and it’s a very positive feeling."

Kristoffersson signs off season with dominant drive in Germany.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

They say records are meant to be broken... Well! This weekend five-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson concluded a dominant season at the World RX of Germany with an eighth victory from ten rounds. 

Kristoffersson’s weekend at the Nürburgring was not flawless – he picked up a five-second penalty for cutting a corner in heat two on Saturday – but, the Swede was unquestionably the class of the field.

On Saturday, the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS driver pulled a full eight tenths-of-a-second faster than his nearest rival in the SuperPole shootout, before pacing two of the three heats and winning both his progression race and semi-final.

After exiting a chaotic first few corners of the final in the lead, the result was never truly in doubt, and Kristoffersson duly edged away from his pursuers to take the chequered flag more than a second-and-a-half clear to claim a 35th career victory.

"It was a very good weekend," Kristoffersson said. "This is a victory for all of the people who have been involved in this project. When the team provides me with a great car every weekend I feel comfortable and can do my homework.Then we are hard to beat."

"Every win we’ve achieved has been for our loyal partners and everybody involved in this project who put the whole package together from zero. When they build a car I can trust and that gives me the confidence to push, I can simply focus on doing my job.

"Many of those people were on-site and seeing the car that they built race for the first time. That was a very nice feeling, as was sharing the Teams’ Championship podium with my dad. It’s been some years since I joined papa on the podium at a rallycross event – the last time was back when he was driving, so that is a memory we will share for the rest of our lives."

Kevin Hansen emerged in second place after the usual pushing and shoving at turn 1, looking to have exacted revenge on Niclas Grönholm by pinching third in the championship classification at the last gasp – just as the Finn had done to him at the same circuit 12 months ago. Hansen’s delight, however, turned to despair when he was subsequently disqualified from the final due to a technical infringement: "The lower wishbone from the left side of the car did not comply with the declaration form from the car" 

"Obviously we wanted to win this weekend, but sometimes you just need to maximise your performance and we have really done that," Kevin Hansen said. "I’m pleased that the car felt great this weekend finally and we still have more performance to find, but we are working on that. We have good signs and better understanding now."

That gifted Grönholm the runner-up spot, having only made it into the final when teammate Klara Andersson – who had initially qualified – was withdrawn to allow him to fight for a top three position in the overall standings.

Taking full advantage of the opportunity, Niclas boldly around the outside of turns two and three to climb from fifth to second at the start, and following Hansen’s disqualification, that was where he would finish as he ascended the podium for the fourth time this season.

Timmy Hansen wound up third after coming off worst in the three-way first corner shuffle, with Ole Christian Veiby placing fourth.

"To finish second in the Drivers’ championship is fantastic and also second for the team in the Teams’ championship is a great result," Timmy Hansen said. "Of course we want to win and I know we are all still very hungry to create a better package, but we will absolutely take this result and look to the future."

Andersson was unfortunate to be denied her place in the final. Having won the first race of her career in the series courtesy of a gritty drive in heat three, she then confidently kept Kristoffersson at bay for much of the pair’s progression race – missing out on a famous world champion-beating performance by less than a third-of-a-second.

Rookie Gustav Bergström exited proceedings at the semi-final stage, as did Euro RX1 Champion Anton Marklund – making his electric racing debut in ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport’s SEAT Ibiza.

Behind the wheel of the iconic Lancia Delta (Evo-e) – Guerlain Chicherit was in the wars throughout the weekend, with a clash with Kevin Hansen in heat one on Saturday ruling him out of the remaining heats due to a damaged chassis and the G-load to the battery. The Frenchman returned to action on Sunday, and looked set to reach the final before a heavy kerb strike on the penultimate lap of his semi-final broke the Lancia’s suspension ending his hopes of finals appearance. 

FINAL RESULT: World RX of Germany

1] Johan KRISTOFFERSSON [Kristoffersson Motorsport] 5 laps

2] Niclas GRÖNHOLM [Construction Equipment Dealer Team] +2.275s

3] Timmy HANSEN [Hansen World RX Team] +2.852s

4] Ole Christian VEIBY [Kristoffersson Motorsport] +4.709s

DSQ. Kevin HANSEN [Hansen World RX Team]

PREVIEW: An icon returns as World RX reaches it's conclusion at the Nürburgring.

An icon returns, as the 2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship reaches its conclusion at the legendary Nürburgring this weekend.

GCK Motorsport’s Lancia Delta Evo-e RX, based on the legendary Lancia Delta Integrale will make it's competitive debut this weekend, with four-time World Freeriding Champion and experienced rallycross racer Guerlain Chicherit behind the wheel.

Another new addition to the all-electric grid will be the FIA European Rallycross Champion Anton Marklund. The Swede will take to the track in ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport’s SEAT Ibiza, as he targets a full-time return to the international pinnacle of the sport.

Chicherit and Marklund, however, will face some pretty stiff opposition at the Nürburgring, led by the newly crowned five-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson. Fired-up following his Saturday disappointment in Spain, the Swede lapped a full second quicker than any of his rivals in Sunday’s SuperPole session – and now the title is safely in the bag, he aims to use the German race weekend for testing. "We will do some testing on my car, things we haven't been able to try as long as the fight for the championship title was open," he said.

Fellow world champion Timmy Hansen manoeuvred himself into pole position to clinch the runner-up spoils in the standings by outscoring the rest of the field in Catalunya. As he returns to the circuit where last season, he came close to a second career crown on countback, the Hansen World RX Team ace is determined to end the campaign on a high.

Behind Hansen, there is a tense three-way scrap for third place in the standings between Niclas Grönholm, Kevin Hansen and Ole Christian Veiby. 

Grönholm – now racing for Construction Equipment Dealer Team – was a winner in Germany last year, with the younger Hansen brother following him home. 

Veiby arguably has the fastest car of the three, but has suffered from a run of technical issues in recent rounds that he hopes is now in the past.

Impressive rookie Gustav Bergström has rarely been far from the pace – reaching the podium on three consecutive occasions in Belgium and Spain – while fellow rookie Klara Andersson returned to the final in Catalunya. She won a heat at the Nürburgring in the FIA RX2e Championship last yaer, and has her sights set on a repeat of her Portuguese podium this weekend.

COOPER TIRES DRIVER OF THE BARCELONA RACE WEEKEND:

Timmy Hansen and Johan Kristoffersson, who will both receive a free set of Cooper Tires for the season finale. 

THE PERMANENT TEAMS:

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS: Johan Kristoffersson and Ole Christian Veiby

Hansen World RX Team: Timmy Hansen and Kevin Hansen

Construction Equipment Dealer Team: Niclas Gronholm and Klara Andersson (first gender equal team.)

THE TRACK:

Based around the Mullenbachsleife section of the famous Grand Prix circuit, the Nürburgring’s 1,029m rallycross track, which was officially launched in 2020.

The start line – the highest point of the rallycross track – is located at Turn 6 of the Grand Prix circuit, with a 90-degree right-hand corner to begin the lap. The start section is only used once, against the flow of the track, with the Turn 1 right-hander being a left-hander for the racing lap.

The rallycross track drops down steeply after Turn 2, transitioning from unsealed to sealed surfaces using part of the Grand Prix circuit’s asphalt, before a second unsealed section at Turn 3, with the Joker Lap section running around the outside of the Turn 4 left-hander.

The circuit has an elevation change of more than 15 meters over the course of the lap and gradients of up to 12%, with almost the whole track lined by grandstands to guarantee fans an unrivaled viewing experience.

Track Length: 1,029m

Previous Winner: Johan Kristoffersson (KYB EKS JC)

Fastest lap: 34.649s - Johan Kristoffersson (Q1)

Asphalt/Dirt: 60%/40%

Joker Lap Loss: 3.4 seconds (approximately)

FORMAT CHANGE:

The Qualifying heats will be renamed Heat 1, Heat 2, Heat 3 instead of Q1, Q2, Q3. There will be three heats only as opposed to the four that have existed over the last eight years. Heat 1 starting positions will be decided following a “Superpole” timed session instead of a draw.

Heat 4 will be replaced by a “Progression Race” to add one more decisive stage in the progress of the event towards access to the Semi-Finals. Starting position distribution for this Progression Race will be determined according to ranking after the 3 Heats. The Final phase remains with Semi-Finals and a Final, but with five-car starts. The highest qualified driver will have a free of starting position. Other changes include five laps in all races (Qualifying, Progression Race, Semi-Finals, Final) and no use of the Joker Lap allowed in Lap 1 if the Joker Lap is in Corner No.1.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (for 2022 onwards):

Championship points will be awarded based on the final  classification on the Competition on the following basis: 

1st: 20 points

2nd: 16 points

3rd: 13 points

4th: 12 points

5th: 11 points

6th: 10 points

7th: 9 points

8th: 8 points

9th: 7 points

10th: 6 points

11th: 5 points

12th: 4 points

13th: 3 points

14th: 2 point

15th: 1 point

- The Teams’ Championship is open to World Championship teams fielding two cars, and includes all points scored by both of the team’s drivers at each event.

*The second All-Inkl.com Munnich Motorsport Seat Ibiza RX1e is currently being built.

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Drivers):

DRIVERS CHAMPION - Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 162 points

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 123 pts

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) 114 pts

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 112 pts

Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 112 pts

Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) 98 pts

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) 92 pts

Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) 78 pts

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Teams):

TEAMS CHAMPIONS - Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS 274 points

Hansen World RX Team 235 pts

Construction Equipment Dealer Team 206 pts

ROUND 10 - WORLD RX OF GERMANY (CAT TIMES). 

SATURDAY:

PRACTICE: 10:55

SUPERPOLE: 12:05

HEAT 1: 13:29

HEAT 2: 15:14

STUDIO/PADDOCK: 16:47 [RX+ only]

SUNDAY:

PRACTICE: 13:05

PROGRESSION RACE: 14:45

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 16:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 18:00 [RX+ only]

All of the on-track entertainment and off-track features will be broadcast live on RX+. Event passes are available for €7,99, with the full season pass on sale for €49,99. More information can be found here.

Lancia Delta to make World RX debut at Nürburgring finale.

PHOTO CREDIT: GCK Motorsport

Just under a year ago, GCK Motorsport announced that they were working on a new electric rallycross car based upon the legendary Lancia Delta Integrale. At the World RX of Germany next weekend, the iconic ‘hot hatch’ will head into battle – as it joins the FIA World Rallycross Championship for the 2022 season finale.

With six consecutive titles from 1987 to 1992, the Lancia Delta remains the most successful car in the World Rally Championship (WRC) and although the car went out of production 30 years ago, Giorgetto Giugiaro’s compact, angular design still commands admiration.

As a child of the eighties, Guerlain Chicherit, was inspired by the exploits of countryman Didier Auriol. It was only natural, therefore, that the French entrepreneur turned to this emblematic model when he launched his car retrofit business in 2020. 

The Lancia Delta Evo-e "road version" is currently in the final homologation phase in France and will soon go into production.

PHOTO CREDIT: GCK Motorsport

The four wheel-drive Lancia Delta Evo-e RX – was designed and manufactured from the ground up at GCK Performance’s workshop in Issoire in central France. 

Underneath its true-to-original bodywork, the car houses a tubular structure compliant with the safety standards in the FIA 2022 regulations. The chassis alone took more than 1,200 hours to complete.

With 500 kW (680hp) under the bonnet, the car boasts twice the power of a Formula E car and, even more impressive, it accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 1.8 seconds… that’s seven-tenths faster than an F1 car by the same measure! The secret? Four-wheel drive and the combination of two Kreisel Electric motors delivering 250 kW each (the electric drivetrain kit used by all the cars competing in the championship).

Four-time World Freeriding Champion and racer Chicherit – whose most recent World RX start came at the Nürburgring 12 months ago, yielding a fifth-place finish on the second day – will climb into the cockpit for the car’s first competitive debut, using the event as preparation for the 2023 season.

"I am very happy to be back in World RX, a year after my last participation on this same Nürburgring circuit. One thing is certain, our Lancia Delta Evo-e RX will stand out among the modern cars that make up this oh-so-spectacular championship," Chicherit said.

"I would like to congratulate GCK Performance for the fantastic job they have done over the past nine months. The build quality is incredible, as is the level of finish. I think this will impress more than one observer. It will now take us some time to understand the car and improve it in order to make it competitive. I can't wait to be on the track!"

RX2e set to introduce 'significant changes' for 2023.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The FIA RX2e Championship will embark upon a new era in 2023, with the introduction of a number of significant changes to secure its long-term future.

Since debuting on the high-profile World RX package last year, RX2e – a joint venture between Spanish electro-mobility specialist QEV Technologies and Swedish rallycross powerhouse Olsbergs MSE – has attracted no fewer than 32 drivers, producing some spellbinding on-track action and memorable wheel-to-wheel duels.

Up to this point, most cars have been run by QEV, but from season three, RX2e will become a team-based championship, with private outfits able to buy or lease cars and adapt the bodywork while QEV continues as single supplier.

"RX2e started out as an arrive-and-drive concept, with the aim of making cutting-edge electric technology accessible to as many drivers as possible,"  Joan Orús, CEO, QEV Technologies, said. "Now that goal has now been achieved, we are delighted to present our changes for season three, which we are confident will bolster the series’ appeal and reinforce its position as the best category for aspiring professional drivers in rallycross as well as other off-road disciplines."

Performance will also increase from 250kW to 270kW, with a ‘boost’ up to 350kW, while greater technical freedoms are under discussion and competitors will benefit from ten per cent more track time at race weekends than is currently the case.

The series will be awarded a European title from next year, with the 2023 campaign due to feature five races. Each two-car World Championship team will be granted a free entry to RX2e, while the RX2e champion will receive a free entry to World RX the following season, thereby forging a closer relationship with the main series and a clear pathway to the pinnacle of the sport.

"After successfully proving its enormous potential over the past two seasons through a combination of fantastic racing, a competitive and reliable technical package and one of the best cost-to-performance ratios in the sport, it is now time to open RX2e up to private teams, many of whom have already expressed keen interest in taking part," Wlodek Szaniawski, President of the FIA Off-Road Commission, said

"We also feel it is important to strengthen the link between RX2e and World RX, with whom the series shares both the paddock and the spotlight. Klara Andersson has shown this season that the skills she learnt in RX2e have enabled her to quickly adapt to the top level and take the fight to the very best rallycross drivers in the world – and we look forward to seeing many more following in her footsteps in the years to come."

King Kristoffersson crowned five-time World Champion with victory in Catalunya.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Untouchable, incredible, masterful.. are just a few words to describe, Johan Kristoffersson, who clinched his fifth FIA World Rallycross Championship crown – and the first of the series’ new electric era – at World RX of Catalunya yesterday.

Determined after being handed a 3-second time penalty in the final on previous day, Kristoffersson immediately laid down a marker by lapping almost a full second quicker than anybody else in the SuperPole session. He then maintained that pace throughout the heats, with none of his rivals able to match him.

He's dominant run continued in the progression race and the semi-final, where he claimed pole position for the all-important final (inside line), but he had to nail the start. 

The Super Swede launched off the line, and began to pull away from he's nearest pursuer Timmy Hansen, and whilst the Peugeot driver was pushing behind to close the gap. It was Kristoffersson who ultimately took the checkered flag by 5.112 seconds to clinch his 34th career victory, but more importantly a fifth drivers' title. 

"I’m very proud. We started out from scratch with this car. It’s our baby, and so many people have put their whole lives into the project. This is such a team effort, and it’s been a real pleasure to have been a part of that journey," an emotional Kristoffersson said.

"Today, the Volkswagen was flying, and I really enjoyed showing off its pace and potential in the final – that was a lot of fun, pushing flat-out for five laps. I think every driver dreams of having a car like that.

"Five times that things have to be put in the right place to make it work and it has done so. It's also great to win the teams' championship together with Ole Christian. We first started working together in 2013 and I have learnt a lot from him in rally and now we are in my backyard with rallycross."

Timmy admitted that the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS driver was ‘untouchable’ but nevertheless leaving the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as the event’s highest scorer. The 2019 world champion was Kristoffersson’s closest rival all day, and he pipped Ole Christian Veiby to the runner-up spot by just over a second.

"The weekend overall has been amazing, after our win yesterday, second place today is another strong result and I’m super happy about the weekend as a whole," Hansen said.

"Johan Kristoffersson was quite untouchable today and won his fifth World RX title so massive congratulations to him and well deserved. I was second and proud of that, I think it was the maximum I could do today."

For Ole Christian Veiby, third position marked a welcome change of fortunes following a run of bad luck of late due to mechanical issues, which saw him sit out most of Saturday morning. The 1-3 result secured Kristoffersson Motorsport the 2022 World RX Teams’ title.

"Incredible to be a part of this in my first season back in rallycross. And I think I have delivered my bit in achieving this success," the Norwegian said.

In the final, Klara Andersson was only narrowly behind in fourth – advancing to the final for the first time since her podium in Portugal and again showing strong speed as she kept pace with her illustrious and more experienced adversaries.

Her stablemate Niclas Grönholm wound up fifth in the sister Construction Equipment Dealer Team car – the Finn struggled with power steering issues in both the semi-final and final – while Kevin Hansen found himself on the back foot following a contact-induced spin at the start of the first progression race. The Swede proceeded to make a storming start from the outside of the grid in his semi-final, only to get rotated sideways, which ultimately put paid to his hopes of reaching the final.

Gustav Bergström’s challenge similarly ended at the semi-final stage, with René Münnich completing the order in his ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport SEAT Ibiza.

The championship will conclude with the final at the Nurburgring in Germany in two weeks’ time [November 12-13].

FINAL RESULT: World RX of Catalunya

1. Johan Kristoffersson (Kristoffersson Motorsport) 5 laps

2. Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) +5.112s

3. Ole Christian Veiby (Kristoffersson Motorsport) +6.325s

4. Klara Andersson (Construction Equipment Dealer Team) +7.562s

5. Niclas Gronholm (Construction Equipment Dealer Team) +2 laps

PREVIEW: Kristoffersson on verge of clinching fifth World RX title in Catalunya.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

With a 41-point advantage over his nearest rival, Johan Kristoffersson is aiming to clinch his fifth Drivers’ crown at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona this weekend. 

The Kristoffersson Motorsport driver has triumphed six times out of seven so far this season, and he knows what it takes to tame the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – although 15 months ago, he came off second-best there following a series of thrilling battles with the Hansen brothers.

But for ill-fortune and some strategic errors, Kevin and Timmy Hansen would have at least one win apiece to their name this year, too, and the Swedish siblings produced a superb team effort to keep Johan behind in Catalunya last season with Kevin clinching victory for the Hansen stable.

The Hansen World RX squad are embroiled in a fierce four-way fight for the runner-up spot in the overall standings with Ole Christian Veiby and Niclas Grönholm, with three points separating the quartet.

Although he was out of luck just over two weeks ago in Belgium, Ole Christian Veiby has displayed a strong turn-of-speed on his rallycross return this season – and with four podium appearances to-date, the Norwegian has proved to be a perfect rear-gunner to team-mate Kristoffersson. 

Grönholm, for his part, won at Montalegre and reached the podium at Spa, as the Construction Equipment Dealer Team increasingly establishes itself as a force to be reckoned with.

Gustav Bergström impressed yet again by placing inside the top three on both days in Belgium, while his CE Dealer Team counterpart Klara Andersson also spraying the champagne in Portugal, where she became the first female driver ever to finish on the podium in international rallycross’ top flight.

Completing the field in Barcelona is René Münnich, the German is continuing to improve with age – and it was in Catalunya last season where the ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport driver / team owner advanced to the final for the first time...

THE PERMANENT TEAMS:

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS: Johan Kristoffersson and Ole Christian Veiby

Hansen World RX Team: Timmy Hansen and Kevin Hansen

Construction Equipment Dealer Team: Niclas Gronholm and Klara Andersson (first gender equal team.)

THE CIRCUIT - CIRCUIT DE CATALUNYA, BARCELONA.

THE TRACK: 

Well-known for hosting Formula 1 and MotoGP, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya joined the FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar in the series’ second season in 2015, since when it has become a staple of the schedule. Spectators invariably enjoy an incredible view of the action in the stadium section of the famous venue.

Located right next to the famous F1 paddock, the asphalt sections are wide, smooth and fast. From the start-line of the 1,125m rallycross track, competitors tackle a sweeping left-hand Turn One (Turn Ten of the F1 circuit), before an uphill blast on the racetrack leads to the first unsealed area, which comprises a long right-hander and a kink to the left.

A quick-fire right-left-left – which forms the penultimate corner of the F1 circuit – marks the entry to the Joker lap, followed by a long, sweeping left-hand turn incorporating the back straight. The second of the two unsealed areas then has an intricate entry before running through a fast downhill right kink, with a tight left-handed turn leading to the finish line.

TRACK LENGTH: 1.125 m

NO. OF CORNERS: 12 

PREVIOUS WINNERS (2021) - Round 1 Kevin Hansen

SURFACE: 60% Asphalt, 40% Gravel.

JOKER LAP LOSS: 3.2 seconds (approximately)

FORMAT CHANGE:

The Qualifying heats will be renamed Heat 1, Heat 2, Heat 3 instead of Q1, Q2, Q3. There will be three heats only as opposed to the four that have existed over the last eight years. Heat 1 starting positions will be decided following a “Superpole” timed session instead of a draw.

Heat 4 will be replaced by a “Progression Race” to add one more decisive stage in the progress of the event towards access to the Semi-Finals. Starting position distribution for this Progression Race will be determined according to ranking after the 3 Heats. The Final phase remains with Semi-Finals and a Final, but with five-car starts. The highest qualified driver will have a free of starting position. Other changes include five laps in all races (Qualifying, Progression Race, Semi-Finals, Final) and no use of the Joker Lap allowed in Lap 1 if the Joker Lap is in Corner No.1.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (for 2022 onwards):

Championship points will be awarded based on the final  classification on the Competition on the following basis: 

1st: 20 points

2nd: 16 points

3rd: 13 points

4th: 12 points

5th: 11 points

6th: 10 points

7th: 9 points

8th: 8 points

9th: 7 points

10th: 6 points

11th: 5 points

12th: 4 points

13th: 3 points

14th: 2 point

15th: 1 point

- The Teams’ Championship is open to World Championship teams fielding two cars, and includes all points scored by both of the team’s drivers at each event.

World RX Entry List - World RX of Catalunya 

*GCK Motorsport’s Lancia Delta Evo-e will not be ready to race in Hell due to the extensive development work required to incorporate the new technology into the car, it will appear on-track in World RX later in the season.

*The second All-Inkl.com Munnich Motorsport Seat Ibiza RX1e is currently being built.

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Drivers):

Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 131 points

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 90 pts

Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 89 pts

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 87 pts

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) 87 pts

Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) 76 pts

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) 71 pts

Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) 62 pts

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Teams):

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS 220 points

Hansen World RX Team 177 pts

Construction Equipment Dealer Team 158 pts

ROUNDS 9 AND 10 - WORLD RX OF CATALUNYA (CAT TIMES). 

SATURDAY:

PRACTICE: 10:40

SUPERPOLE: 11:30

HEAT 1: 12:45

HEAT 2: 14:15

PROGRESSION RACE: 15:40

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 17:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 18:00 [RX+ only]

SUNDAY:

PRACTICE: 12:05

SUPERPOLE: 12:25

HEAT 1: 13:40

HEAT 2: 15:20

PROGRESSION RACE: 16:40

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 18:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 19:00 [RX+ only]

All of the on-track entertainment and off-track features will be broadcast live on RX+. Event passes are available for €7,99, with the full season pass on sale for €49,99. More information can be found here.

Kristoffersson on verge of fifth title after victory at Spa-Francorchamps.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Calm and calculated Kristoffersson has clinched a sixth victory of the season at the Benelux World RX of Spa-Francorchamps yesterday, and has taken a significant step towards a fifth championship.  

After maintaining his unblemished SuperPole record by a tenth-of-a-second from nearest challenger Timmy Hansen, Kristoffersson picked up a puncture in the first heat race. With smoke pouring off his right-rear tyre, the damage got progressively worse as the Swede wrestled his Polo RX1e around the circuit, with the tyre letting go completely on the last lap and ripping the right-rear car door off in the process. And after a stellar repair job by the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS crew, Johan came out on top after a battle with Niclas Grönholm in heat two – which included a thrilling pass in the banked gravel corner – before winning his progression race.

The four-time World Champion subsequently fended off countryman Kevin Hansen in the second semi-final to secure pole position for the all-important final – and following a textbook launch, he was thereafter never headed, racing clear of his pursuers to take the chequered flag by 3.995 seconds. The result has extended his advantage at the top of the title standings to 41 points with only two race weekends remaining – a fact not lost on the four-time world champion.

"You need to be in the right place at the right time, and thankfully, we were," he said. "The team is delivering a perfect car every time we go out and we worked hard on our starts today, because they weren’t the best yesterday. That paid off in the final, and thankfully there was no squeeze into Turn One because the wall there is pretty unforgiving.

"From there, I saw there was some fighting going on behind and once I had established a gap, I could just cruise to the finish while taking care not to get any more punctures. It was a very good race."

"Big thanks to the team for making this possible. It's been hard work. Sometimes we have returned to the paddock almost with only the steering wheel in our hands," he added.

The Construction Equipment Dealer Team has continued to show progress, as Niclas Grönholm claimed second place behind Kristoffersson, but it was noticeable the PWR RX1e machines had stellar starts throughout the weekend.

”It was a tough day, but everything went well from the semi-final and onwards," Grönholm said. "I had good launch, and some great fights in the final. Yesterday we had the pace to challenge for the win, and it was a bummer that I made a mistake in turn one. From there on, it was hard to do anything. Today I played it smart in the first corner and was able to come out in second. Pace-wise, this was the best weekend so far. This is good to build on for the future."

Buoyed by his breakthrough podium finish  on Saturday, Gustav Bergström rebounded from a broken driveshaft in heat one to pull off a gutsy overtaking move on Grönholm in the final, and while he ultimately didn’t have quite enough pace to keep the Finn behind, he nonetheless impressed with another third-place finish.

"Of course I was keen on second spot as well, but I must be satisified with another podium finish," the Kristoffersson Motorsport driver said.

Kevin Hansen wound up fourth after sliding wide in the last corner – finding himself inadvertently clipped by Grönholm in the process – with Ole Christian Veiby classified fifth, he  failed to reach the checkered flag due to coming off worst in a first corner crunch with Bergström and Hansen in turn one that broke his Volkswagen’s steering.

Once more, 2019 world champion Timmy Hansen looked set to take the fight to Kristoffersson, but yet again luck was not on he's side, as he's Peugeot 208 took a knock on the rear in the semi-final which caused the Swede to miss out on a place in the final. 

CE Dealer Team's Klara Andersson was impressive yet again - pulling off some incredible starts, but unfortunately, she too failed to reach the final, whilst All-Inkl Munnich Motorsport's Rene Munnich couldn't quite keep the pace of the cars ahead and finished at the tail end of the field in the Ardennes.

The next stop on the 2022 calendar will be World RX of Catalunya, a weekend that could ultimately decide the drivers' championship should Kristoffersson reign supreme again. Can anyone stop the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS driver? Time will tell!

ROUND 7 - FINAL RESULT: WORLD RX OF BELGIUM:

1. Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS)

2. Niclas Grönholm (Construction Equipment Dealer Team) + 3.995s

3. Gustav Bergström (Kristoffersson Motorsport) + 4.932s

4. Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) + 9.305s

5. Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) + 5 laps

PREVIEW: The championship fight heats up in the Ardennes.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

The iconic Spa-Francorchamps will welcome the electrifying FIA World Rallycross Championship for rounds six and seven of the current campaign, as the battle for glory heat ups.

Last year’s Spa winner Johan Kristoffersson currently leads the way as he hunts for a fifth World Championship crown, but while the Swede’s record of four victories out of five this season might look daunting for the opposition, the statistics do not tell the full story.

At Montalegre last time out, it was Niclas Grönholm who claimed the Construction Equipment Dealer Team’s breakthrough World RX triumph, as Kristoffersson was penalized for a clash with Timmy Hansen.

The 2019 Champion came off worse in a clash with Johan on the second day in Portugal after taking the lead at the start of the final, while his younger brother overtook the four-time world champion not just once but twice during the course of a single race. 

The Hansen World RX Team could – and arguably should – have won both rounds a fortnight earlier in Rīga too, so they will be motivated indeed to open their victory account for the year in Belgium.

Ole Christian Veiby leads Kevin Hansen in Portugal.
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

With four podium finishes from five starts since making his return to World RX, Ole Christian Veiby has been getting ever-closer to his Kristoffersson Motorsport team-mate, and with the potent Volkswagen RX1e underneath him, the Norwegian – now up to second in the standings – will undoubtedly be in the mix for silverware again this weekend.

Gustav Bergström has continued to impress with he's lightning launches – and two final appearances to-date demonstrate that he is clearly benefitting from the tutelage of Kristoffersson and Veiby alongside him.

In much the same way, Klara Andersson has been making waves of her own, advancing to the final on her series debut in Hell and racing to an historic podium finish at Montalegre. That result will surely fire her up for a repeat performance at Spa, where she first joined the World Championship package 12 months ago, impressing with a fourth-place finish in RX2e.

René Münnich completes the field in his SEAT Ibiza RX1e. The German – who both runs and drives for the team is getting closeer to the outright pace with every event.

THE PERMANENT TEAMS:

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS: Johan Kristoffersson and Ole Christian Veiby

Hansen World RX Team: Timmy Hansen and Kevin Hansen

Construction Equipment Dealer Team: Niclas Gronholm and Klara Andersson (first gender equal team.)

THE CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER - JOHAN KRISTOFFERSSON:

"We are carrying lots of points into this event so we are not in a position to take any big risks. The first turn is a bit hazardous, can be risky on the outside and on the inside there is a concrete wall. All our drivers are up to it and the cars are working well. We have now had races with high and low grip, dry and wet surface. We don't seem to have an Achilles heel."

THE CIRCUIT: CIRCUIT SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS (BELGIUM)

THE TRACK:

The challenging, purpose-built 913m track located at the heart of the famous Ardennes venue is characterised by significant elevation changes and incorporates one of the most iconic corners in world motorsport, not to mention the ultimate test of bravery – the daunting Eau Rouge.

The spectacular ascent of the Raidillon and its 15% gradient is followed by a tight hairpin bend, before cars hurtle back down towards Eau Rouge. There is also a stadium section that features an extra-wide, banked corner designed to allow drivers to adopt various racing lines. There are parallel jumps in the standard and Joker Laps.

The amphitheatre atmosphere around the circuit offers fans a full view of the action from wherever they are watching.

TRACK LENGTH: 913m

PREVIEW WINNER (2021) - Round 6: Johan Kristoffersson (KYB EKS JC)

FASTEST LAP: Johan Kristoffersson 30.672 (in semi-finals)

ASPHALT/DIRT: 60%/40%

JOKER LAP LOSS: 2s seconds (approximately)

FORMAT CHANGE:

The Qualifying heats will be renamed Heat 1, Heat 2, Heat 3 instead of Q1, Q2, Q3. There will be three heats only as opposed to the four that have existed over the last eight years. Heat 1 starting positions will be decided following a “Superpole” timed session instead of a draw.

Heat 4 will be replaced by a “Progression Race” to add one more decisive stage in the progress of the event towards access to the Semi-Finals. Starting position distribution for this Progression Race will be determined according to ranking after the 3 Heats. The Final phase remains with Semi-Finals and a Final, but with five-car starts. The highest qualified driver will have a free of starting position. Other changes include five laps in all races (Qualifying, Progression Race, Semi-Finals, Final) and no use of the Joker Lap allowed in Lap 1 if the Joker Lap is in Corner No.1.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (for 2022 onwards):

Championship points will be awarded based on the final  classification on the Competition on the following basis: 

1st: 20 points

2nd: 16 points

3rd: 13 points

4th: 12 points

5th: 11 points

6th: 10 points

7th: 9 points

8th: 8 points

9th: 7 points

10th: 6 points

11th: 5 points

12th: 4 points

13th: 3 points

14th: 2 point

15th: 1 point

- The Teams’ Championship is open to World Championship teams fielding two cars, and includes all points scored by both of the team’s drivers at each event.

THE 2021 WORLD RX OF BENELUX RESULTS (FINAL)

1) Johan Kristoffersson (KYB EKS JC) 3:10.857

2) Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) + 2.601s

3) Krisztián Szabó (GRX-SET World RX Team) + 5.338s

4) Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) + 5.663s 

5) Enzo Ide (KYB EKS JC) + 6.119s

6) Anton Marklund (Hedströms Motorsport) + 6.648s

World RX Entry List - Benelux World RX of Spa-Francorchamps 

*GCK Motorsport’s Lancia Delta Evo-e will not be ready to race in Hell due to the extensive development work required to incorporate the new technology into the car, it will appear on-track in World RX later in the season.

*The second All-Inkl.com Munnich Motorsport Seat Ibiza RX1e is currently being built.

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Drivers):

Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 91 points

Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 70 pts

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 66 pts

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 62 pts

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) 60 pts

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) 52 pts

Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) 50 pts

Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) 44 pts

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Teams):

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS 161 points

Hansen World RX Team 128 pts

Construction Equipment Dealer Team 112 pts

ROUNDS 6 AND 7 - BENELUX WORLD RX OF SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS (CAT TIMES). 

SATURDAY:

PRACTICE: 09:05

SUPERPOLE: 10:30

HEAT 1: 12:10

HEAT 2: 13:40

PROGRESSION RACE: 15:12

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 17:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 18:00 [RX+ only]

SUNDAY:

PRACTICE: 09:05

SUPERPOLE: 09:35

HEAT 1: 11:10

HEAT 2: 13:25

PROGRESSION RACE: 15:05

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 17:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 18:00 [RX+ only]

All of the on-track entertainment and off-track features will be broadcast live on RX+. Event passes are available for €7,99, with the full season pass on sale for €49,99. More information can be found here.