Niclas Grönholm (PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e) drove to victory during the opening round at the 2025 FIA World Rallycross Championship on Sunday (June 1) at Lousada in the north of Portugal. He won the World RX final from Timmy Hansen (Peugeot 208 RX1e) and Ole Christian Veiby (VW Polo Mk5). Wins in the 2025 FIA European Rallycross Championship in the RX1 and RX3 categories at the Circuito Internacional de Lousada went to Yury Belevskiy (Audi S1) and João Ribeiro (Audi A1) respectively.
As the championship for this season switched back to the more traditional race format of up to four qualifyings in a competition the action at Lousada was resumed on Sunday morning with Qualifying 3. Niclas Grönholm was fastest while afterwards in Qualifying 4 the Finn got beaten by defending champion Johan Kristoffersson (VW Polo Mk5). These results lead to Kristoffersson being second in the intermediate classification behind Grönholm. The Hansen brothers were third and fourth with Timmy [Hansen] ahead of Kevin [Hansen] (Peugeot 208 RX1e). With the confirmation of the intermediate classification also the first championship points of the season were awarded with the top 3 earning 3, 2 and 1 championship point(s).
Semi-final 1 with Grönholm and Timmy Hansen on the front row and Veiby and Juha Rytkönen (Hyundai i20) on the second row went to Grönholm who led it from start to finish. Timmy Hansen ran second all the time and the battle for third was won by Veiby leaving Rytkönen out for the final. Kristoffersson started the second semi-final from pole and won the start from Kevin Hansen. Both came in first and second with Klara Andersson (PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e) the third qualifier. Patrick O’Donovan (Peugeot 208) came in fourth and missed out on the final.
The World RX final had defending champion Johan Kristoffersson on the front row together with Niclas Grönholm. Both of the Hansen brothers were on the second row. When the green light was shown Grönholm made it first to turn one while Kristoffersson got overtaken by the Hansen brothers afterwards and went down to four. Then Kevin Hansen and Kristoffersson both passed through the joker lap section in the opening lap. The leading trio only passed through the joker lap section in the sixth and final lap. When they joined the main track again it became close between the Hansen brothers but eventually the top positions didn’t change meaning Grönholm won the 2025 World RX season opener ahead of Timmy Hansen and Ole Christian Veiby. Kevin Hansen and Johan Kristoffersson came in fourth and fifth with Klara Andersson the last finisher.
“I think it was a perfect Rallycross execution, maybe not the absolute pace throughout the weekend, but from Q2 on we had the inside line good launches,” commented Grönholm afterwards. “I was able to control the race in places, but especially in turn two maybe I was too careful. It was enough this time.”
“Niclas [Grönholm] had a fantastic race today, finishing in P1, and he really didn’t put a foot wrong all weekend,” said second place finisher Timmy Hansen. “I actually felt quicker than him in both the semi-final and the final, and I was all over his bumper in both races trying to get by him, but sadly I did not quite have enough to make it happen.”
In the European championship for RX1 cars Yury Belevskiy was holding the overnight lead after setting fastest times on Saturday. On Sunday he added two more fastest times to it to finish on top of the ranking. Qualifying second was eventually Mika Liimatainen after Nils Volland hit the barriers in Qualifying 4 and had to record a DNF. With Volland qualifying third he normally had to share the front row of the first semi-final with Belevskiy. Unfortunately for the German his car wasn’t ready in time resulting in a DNS. This meant the three remaining cars – Belevskiy, Martin Enlund (Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST) and José Oliveira (Peugeot 208), in that order – consequently all made it to the final. Mika Liimatainen (Hyundai i20) and Damian Litwinowicz (Audi S1) were sharing the front row for the second semi-final and finished it as first and second. László Kiss (Peugeot 208) was the other qualifier for the final.
In the final Belevskiy had the better start from the front row and went in the first corner ahead of second row starter Litwinowicz and Liimatainen. Belevskiy, ahead of the others, passed through the joker lap section in the penultimate lap and remained in the lead. The drivers racing second to four had to pass through it in the final lap leading to Litwinowicz and Liimatainen safeguarding their positions. Kiss eventually went down to fifth in favor of Martin Enlund.
“It feels great to finish in P1,” Belevskiy said. “We drove a very clean race, took no risks, and were rewarded for it.“
João Ribeiro, the 2024 Euro RX3 runner-up, was on top of the intermediate classification in the FIA European Rallycross Championship for RX3 cars after setting fastest time in all qualifyings. Second and third in the ranking were Joaquim Machado (Audi A1) and Libor Teješ (Audi A1). In the semi-final Ribeiro, despite a small mistake, drove to another win in order to qualify for the Euro RX3 pole in the final. From the first semi-final Sámuel Kovács (Škoda Fabia Mk3) and Libor Teješ joined Ribeiro to the final. The other finalists following the second semi-final were winner André Sousa (Audi A1), Joaquim Machado and Ritys Gurklys (Audi A1). Ribeiro won the start from Sousa in the Euro RX3 final with Machado settling for third. Machado was the first one of the top three to pass through the joker lap section in the third lap. Sousa did the same the lap after joining the main track again ahead of Machado. Ribeiro in the penultimate lap passed through the joker lap section from the lead and was able to stay in front of the others. Only in the final lap with Sámuel Kovács going into the joker lap section the Hungarian was able to join the main track ahead of Machado and as such prevented a complete Portuguese podium in Euro RX3.
The 2025 FIA World Rallycross Championship as well as the 2025 European Rallycross Championship continues in Höljes, Sweden on July 5-6. It will be followed by rounds in Hungary, Finland, Turkey and – for World RX only – a still to be announced location.
Results
World RX – Final: 1. Niclas Grönholm (FIN), PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e; 2. Timmy Hansen (S), Peugeot 208 RX1e; 3. Ole Christian Veiby (N), VW Polo Mk5; 4. Kevin Hansen (S), Peugeot RX1e; 5. Johan Kristoffersson (S), VW Polo Mk5; 6. Klara Andersson (S), PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e.
World RX Team: 1. Construction Equipment Dealer Team (S), 41; 2. Hansen World RX Team (S), 36; 3. Kristoffersson Motorsport (S), 33.
Euro RX1 – Final: 1. Yury Belevskiy (RUS), Audi S1; 2. Damian Litwinowicz (PL), Audi S1; 3. Mika Liimatainen (FIN), Hyundai i20; 4. Martin Enlund (S), Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST; 5. László Kiss (H), Peugeot 208; 6. José Oliveira (P), Peugeot 208.
Euro RX3 – Final: 1. João Ribeiro (P), Audi A1; 2. André Sousa (P), Audi A1; 3. Sámuel Kovács (H), Škoda Fabia Mk3; 4. Joaquim Machado (P), Audi A1; 5. Libor Teješ (CZ), Audi A1; 6. Rytis Gurklys (LT), Audi A1.
Standings
World RX (1/6): 1. Niclas Grönholm (FIN), 28; 2. Timmy Hansen (S), 21; 3. Ole Christian Veiby (N), 17; 4. Johan Kristoffersson (S), 16; 5. Kevin Hansen (S), 15; 6. Klara Andersson (S), 13; etc.
World RX Team (1/6): 1. Construction Equipment Dealer Team (S), 41; 2. Hansen World RX Team (S), 36; 3. Kristoffersson Motorsport (S), 33.
Euro RX1 (1/5): 1. Yury Belevskiy (RUS), 28; 2. Damian Litwinowicz (PL), 20; 3. Mika Liimatainen (FIN), 19; 4. Martin Enlund (S), 15; 5. László Kiss (H), 14; 6. José Oliveira (P), 13; etc.
Euro RX3 (1/5): 1. João Ribeiro (D), 28; 2. André Sousa (P), 20; 3. Sámuel Kovács (H), 17; 4. Joaquim Machado (P), 17; 5. Libor Teješ (CZ), 15; 6. Rytis Gurklys (LT), 13; etc.