Ole Christian Veiby (VW Polo Mk6) is leading RX1 at Mondello Park after Q2 during ‘Euro RX of Ireland’, the fourth round of the 2026 FIA European Rallycross Championship, after Johan Kristoffersson was black-flagged following the final Q2 race. Overnight leaders in RX3 and RX4 are Rytis Gurklys (Audi A1) and Filip Melon (Peugeot 208), respectively.
It has been 30 years since the European Rallycross Championship last visited Mondello Park. Back then, on June 23, 1996, Ludvig Hunsbedt won the top class ahead of Jean-Luc Pailler (father of Fabien Pailler) and the eventual 1996 FIA European Rallycross Champion Kenneth Hansen.
Today, 30 years later, Johan Kristoffersson (VW Polo Mk6) arrived at Mondello Park as championship leader to kickoff the second half of the season. He started the weekend by being the fastest in the first free practice session ahead of Patrick O’Donovan (Peugeot 208). In the second session, O’Donovan was fastest, with Kristoffersson setting a third-fastest time.
Kristoffersson was then out in the first Q1 session, winning the opening race of the day and setting the benchmark time to beat. Andreas Bakkerud (Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST), currently second in the championship, was in the following race together with Joni Turpeinen (Ford Fiesta MK7 ST). Bakkerud took the joker on the penultimate lap, overtook Turpeinen and won his session. However, he came four seconds short of Kristoffersson’s time. Patrick O’Donovan and Juha Rytkönen (Hyundai i20) were in race four, which was won by Rytkönen, who set the second-fastest time. Unfortunately for O’Donovan, he recorded a DNF during his home event in Q1.
In Q2, with the grids based on the Q1 results, Kristoffersson, Rytkönen, Bakkerud and Turpeinen lined up together for the final Q2 race. The fifth spot on the grid was taken by Ole Christian Veiby, who had been fifth fastest in Q1. Patrick O’Donovan, who was out in the first Q2 race following his Q1 DNF, set a time that remained the fastest with only the final race to come. Kristoffersson didn’t won the start and, eventually after Turn 4, Bakkerud moved into the lead, chased by Kristoffersson. They continued racing until the end of the penultimate lap, when Kristoffersson, closely followed by teammate Veiby, both took the joker. Bakkerud was then leading Rytkönen on the final lap when both had to take their joker. Both Kristoffersson Motorsport drivers overtook Bakkerud and Rytkönen to finish first and second in the race. However, as Kristoffersson was about two seconds slower then Patrick O’Donovan, the Irishman was fastest in Q2. Kristofersson and Veiby were second and third fastest in Q2 ahead of local driver Michael Leonard (Audi S1) and Andreas Bakkerud.
However, after the race, the Race Director issued a black-and-white warning flag to Juha Rytkönen for “Dangerous driving (contact with car no. 8 [Kristoffersson])” and a black flag to Johan Kristoffersson for “Pushing and overtaking (unsporting behaviour) car no. 18 [Rytkönen]” in the final Q2 race. In the intermediate standings, Veiby leads after the first day – Q3 will only be run on Sunday – ahead of Rytkönen, Bakkerud and Turpeinen. The black flag dropped Kristoffersson to thirteenth in the intermediate standings.
In the RX3 championship, nine drivers made the trip to Ireland. Championship leader Rytis Gurklys set the fastest time in Q1, with Julien Meunier (Audi A1) second fastest. In Q2, the pair battled it out directly in the second race. Gurklys won the start and took the lead, closely followed by Meunier. The latter took the joker on the penultimate lap, with Gurklys doing the same on the final lap, managing to rejoin the main track as race leader. After setting the fastest time in both sessions, the Lithuanian leads overnight ahead of Meunier, who was second fastest in both sessions, and Nicolas Geleyns (Audi A1), who was third fastest in both.
The RX4 category at Mondello Park saw six entries. Filip Melon leads with maximum points after setting the fastest times in both Q1 and Q2. Andréa Bénézet (Renault Clio Mk5), second fastest in Q1, is currently second ahead of Thomas Quincé (Renault Clio Mk5), who set the second fastest time in Q2.
Action on the track resumes on Sunday morning with a warm-up session at 09:00 local time for all categories. Q3 is scheduled to get underway at 10:30 local time, followed by Q4, the Quarter-Finals (RX1 only), the Semi-Finals and the Finals for all categories.
Results
Euro RX1 (ranking after Q2): 1. Ole Christian Veiby (N), 84; 2. Juha Rytkönen (FIN), 84; 3. Andreas Bakkerud (N), 82; 4. Joni Turpeinen (FIN), 78; 5. Ollie O’Donovan (IRL), 75; 6. Nils Volland (D), 70; etc.
Euro RX3 (ranking after Q2): 1. Rytis Gurklys (LT), 100; 2. Julien Meunier (F), 90; 3. Nicolas Geleyns (B), 84; 4. Tiago Ferreira (P), 79; 5. Václav Tůma (CZ), 77; 6. Dylan Dufas (F), 75; etc.
Euro RX4 (ranking after Q2): 1. Filip Melon (PL), 100; 2. Andréa Bénézet (F), 87; 3. Thomas Quincé (F), 85; 4. Haotian Deng (CHN), 81; 5. Ivo Gabrāns (LV), 78; 6. Albert Ako Kokk (EST), 77.
Euro RX5 (ranking after Q2): 1. Teddie MacPherson (GB), 100; 2. Armin Raag (EST), 87; 3. Tim Braumüller (D), 85; 4. Diego Martínez (E), 78; 5. David Kane (GB), 77; 6. Flavio Martins (F), 72; etc.