The Biķernieki Sport Complex in the Latvian capital Rīga was chosen for the opening round of the 2026 FIA European Rallycross Championship. The new season comes with a number of changes compared to the previous year. Aside from those changes, there was plenty of action on the track today (May 9) across the different categories, with Johan Kristoffersson (VW Polo Mk5) holding the overnight lead in top RX1 category.
For the 2026 season, the championship no longer holds FIA “World Championship” status. After 12 seasons (since 2014) the top-tier Rallycross championship has reverted to being a European championship. The 2026 calendar consists of six events, taking the drivers to Nyirád in Hungary, Höljes in Sweden, Mondello Park in Ireland, Lohéac in France, and ending with the season finale at Lousada, Portugal. At the end of the season, after the champions have been crowned, a new FIA Rallycross World Cup will be held as a one-off event. In this way the FIA aims to continue growing the sport of Rallycross by reaching new audiences in new regions and eventually returning the series to world championship level. The inaugural FIA Rallycross World Cup is scheduled for December 7-8 at the Jakarta International E-Prix Circuit in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Further changes for the new season include adjustments to the event format – the introduction of Quarter-Finals – as well as changes to the championship categories. The headline “Supercar” RX1 category has returned to Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars only, clearly boosting the entry list with 29 drivers for this weekend’s opening round. The RX3 category remains unchanged, while the FIA has introduced two new categories: RX4 and RX5. RX4 cars are based on FIA’s existing Rally4 category, with only minimal modifications required to make them eligible for Rallycross. The category has been introduced as what reads as an affordable route into competition for drivers already active in rallying, while also encouraging new entrants to take their first steps into Rallycross. RX5 is reserved for FIA Cross Cars introducing them into the European championship.
Unchanged from previous season is the presence of Johan Kristoffersson. The eight-time FIA World Rallycross Champion is competing in another season under the banner of Kristoffersson Motorsport with his long-time team-mate Ole Christian Veiby (VW Polo Mk5). Other leading contenders in the RX1 category include former European champions Andreas Bakkerud (Ford Fiesta Mk7), who won the title in 2021, and Patrick O’Donovan (Peugeot 208), the 2024 European champion. Jussi Pinomäki’s Set Promotion is fielding two cars for Finnish drivers Joni Turpeinen (Ford Fiesta Mk7) and Juha Rytkönen (Hyundai i20).
Kristoffersson opened the weekend by setting the fastest time in both free practice sessions. In the first session, he was quicker than Bakkerud while in the second he beat teammate Veiby and Bakkerud once again. Qualifying began with Veiby setting the benchmark by winning the opening race of Q1. Kristoffersson then beat Veiby’s time in race four, while Bakkerud made it into third after winning race five. Set Promotion drivers Turpeinen and Rytkönen completed the top five in Q1.
Q2 and Q3 were also completed on the opening day of competition. The top five drivers of Q1 were lined up alongside each other for Q2 producing a most interesting race. Kristoffersson had to fight back after dropping to fifth position at turn 3. Bakkerud was the one who opted for an early joker lap strategy. As race leader Turpeinen and Kristoffersson both made it through the joker lap section on the final lap, Bakkerud closed in rapidly, leading to a finish of almost three aside. Turpeinen set the fastest time, with Bakkerud second and Kristoffersson third, all within less than 0.2 seconds.
The final race of Q3 saw the same five drivers battling once again. This time, Rytkönen came out on top ahead of Kristoffersson and Bakkerud. However, the fastest time in Q3 was set by Rokas Baciuška (Hyundai i20), the 2026 Dakar class winner and former RX3 European Rallycross Champion, driving a PGRX Hyundai i20 for this weekend’s event.
In the Euro RX3 category, the fastest times today were set by André Sousa (Audi A1) in Q1 and twice by Frenchman Julien Meunier (Audi A1) in Q2 and Q3. Meunier also holds the overnight lead in RX3. Another Frenchman, Andréa Bénézet (Renault Clio), leads the new Euro RX4 category after recording a fastest time in Q1 and second-fastest times in both Q2 and Q3.
Tomorrow, Sunday, the event continues from 10:00 local time with Q4 (for RX1, RX3, RX4, and RX5, in that order), followed by the newly introduced Quarter-Finals (for categories with 24 or more eligible drivers), the Semi-Finals and the all decisive Final.
Results
Euro RX1 (ranking after Q3): 1. Johan Kristoffersson (S), 134; 2. Andreas Bakkerud (N), 126; 3. Ole Christian Veiby (N), 123; 4. Juha Rytkönen (FIN), 123; 5. Rokas Baciuška (LT), 119; 6. Joni Turpeinen (FIN), 112; etc.
Euro RX3 (ranking after Q3): 1. Julien Meunier (F), 135; 2. Nicolas Geleyns (AG), 123; 3. Rytis Gurklys (LT), 123; 4. Audrius Kragas (LT), 122; 5. André Sousa (P), 113; 6. Valdas Mikužis (LT), 110; etc.
Euro RX4 (ranking after Q3): 1. Andréa Bénézet (F), 140; 2. Albert Ako Kokk (EST), 134; 3. Ivo Gabrāns (LV), 131; 4. Lenards Lepsis (LV), 120; 5. Filip Melon (PL), 117; 6. Thomas Quincé (F), 116; etc.
Euro RX5 (ranking after Q3): 1. Martin Juga (EST), 150; 2. Tim Braumüller (D), 129; 3. Armin Raag (EST), 129; 4. Roberts Purmalis (LV), 120; 5. Marko Muru (EST), 112; 6. Diego Martínez González (E), 109; etc.