Johan Kristoffersson (VW Polo Mk6) won the first leg of the season-finale double-header on Saturday night (September 12) at Lousada in Portugal. For the eight-time FIA World Rallycross champion, it was a big step towards a possible first European crown, as title contender Andreas Bakkerud (Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST) failed to make it into the Semi-Finals. Kristoffersson won the RX1 final from Patrick O’Donovan (Peugeot 208) and Juha Rytkönen (Hyundai i20).
This year’s season finale is set up as a double-header with the Final of the first leg being run under floodlights on Saturday evening. The weekend had already started on Friday evening with the practice sessions. The Saturday programme started in the early afternoon with Q1. As usual in so-called “double-header weekends”, only three Qualifying runs were held instead of the usual four at a “single-header” round.
Andreas Bakkerud went into the weekend as championship leader, with a one-point advantage over Kristoffersson. Kristoffersson had already set the fastest times in both of Friday evening’s practice sessions. Then, in Q1 on Saturday, the two title contenders were in separate heat races, with Kristoffersson in the third and Bakkerud in the fifth.
Kristoffersson’s teammate Ole Christian Veiby (VW Polo Mk6) won the first heat race and set the benchmark time. Kristoffersson was together with Juha Rytkönen in the third session and finished second behind the Finn, which would turn out to be the second-fastest Q1 time overall. Bakkerud won his session and set the then fourth-fastest time. Only Joni Turpeinen (Ford Fiesta Mk7 ST), who was out on track in the following race, was quicker, and as such Bakkerud ended Q1 with the fifth-fastest time.
In Q2, Kristoffersson and Bakkerud were in the same race, alongside Veiby and both Set Promotion drivers, Rytkönen and Turpeinen. Veiby had the better start ahead of the Set Promotion drivers, with Kristoffersson taking the joker lap section on the opening lap and Bakkerud doing so on the following lap. With the top three coming out of the joker lap section, Bakkerud was able to pass Kristoffersson at the merge and finished behind Veiby and Rytkönen. Eventually, Bakkerud and Kristoffersson were classified fifth and sixth respectively in Q2.
In the last qualifying of the opening day, Kristoffersson was in the penultimate session. He led from lights to flag and set the fastest time. Bakkerud, on the other hand, was in the final session. When that race got underway, Veiby and Rytkönen did not survive the first corner. Bakkerud then led on the opening lap but was forced to deal with a puncture on the rear left for the remainder of the race. He managed to bring the car home in third but was classified 22nd in Q3.
Given Veiby’s DNF in Q3, Kristoffersson became the top qualifier ahead of Patrick O’Donovan, Turpeinen and Veiby. Bakkerud was ninth in the ranking after Q3, allowing him to start in the first Quarter-Final from the second row.
Kristoffersson was on pole for the first Quarter-Final, with Casper Jansson (Peugeot 208) the other front-row starter. The drama for Bakkerud continued shortly after the start when, while trying to maintain his second spot behind Kristoffersson, he hit the wall on a watered section of the track and dropped to fifth.
Nevertheless, he moved back into second with one lap to go and looked set to qualify for the Semi-Final. However, he suffered another puncture and dropped to fourth after taking the joker lap, missing out on the Semi-Finals. Kristoffersson won the first Quarter-Final, while Patrick O’Donovan, Fabien Pailler (Renault Mégane Mk4) and Ole Christian Veiby took wins in the other Quarter-Finals.
As the sun was setting, the Semi-Finals got underway. The first went to Kristoffersson, who led from start to finish. Front-row starter and Lohéac winner Pailler came home second ahead of Ollie O’Donovan (Peugeot 208).
The second Semi-Final had Patrick O’Donovan and Veiby on the front row. O’Donovan won ahead of Rytkönen and László Kiss (VW Polo Mk6). Veiby spun his car on the penultimate lap and was out of the Final.
The Final saw Kristoffersson and Patrick O’Donovan on the front row. The second row was occupied by Pailler and Rytkönen, while the grid was completed by Kiss and Ollie O’Donovan.
Kristoffersson had the better start and went into the lead ahead of Patrick O’Donovan and Pailler. Kiss and Ollie O’Donovan opted for an early joker. Patrick O’Donovan chased Kristoffersson over the next few laps until he decided to take his joker on lap four, allowing him to merge still in second place.
Kristoffersson then took his joker on the following lap and retained the lead. With Ollie O’Donovan running third but still having to take his joker, Rytkönen was able to move into third and claim the final podium spot. Pailler finished fourth, with Ollie O’Donovan the last finisher in fifth.
Kristoffersson, on 197 points, now goes into the final round with a 36-point lead over Andreas Bakkerud, who has 161 points after scoring just three points today.
In the RX3 and RX4 categories, the battles for the titles are also still open. RX3 was won by André Sousa (Audi A1), while Rytis Gurklys (Audi A1) remains in the lead in the championship. Filip Melon (Peugeot 208) drove to victory in the RX4 category, while Andréa Bénézet (Renault Clio Mk5) holds the championship lead.
The final round of the 2026 FIA European Rallycross Championship gets underway on Sunday (September 13) at Lousada in Portugal, with the on-track action kicking off at 8:20 am local time with a warm-up session. Q1 is scheduled for 9:30 am local time.
Results
Euro RX1 – Final: 1. Johan Kristoffersson (S), VW Polo Mk6; 2. Patrick O’Donovan (IRL), Peugeot 208; 3. Juha Rytkönen (FIN), Hyundai i20; 4. Fabien Pailler (F), Renault Mégane Mk4; 5. Ollie O’Donovan (IRL), Peugeot 208; 6. László Kiss (H), VW Polo Mk6 – DNF.
Euro RX3 – Final: 1. André Sousa (P), Audi A1; 2. Libor Teješ (CZ), Audi A1; 3. Sámuel Kovács (H), Škoda Fabia Mk3; 4. Rogério Sousa (P), Ford Fiesta – DNF; 5. Tiago Ferreira (P), Ford Fiesta – DNF; 6. Jorge Machado (P), Peugeot 208 – DNF.
Euro RX4 – Final: 1. Filip Melon (PL), Peugeot 208; 2. Ivo Gabrāns (LV), Renault Clio Mk5; 3. Haotian Deng (CHN), Renault Clio Mk5; 4. Anna Rusek (PL), Peugeot 208; 5. Andréa Bénézet (F), Renault Clio Mk5; 6. Albert Ako Kokk (EST), Renault Clio Mk5.
Euro RX5 – Final: 1. Armin Raag (EST),; 2. Bryan Neumeyer (D); 3. Marin Le Jossec (F); 4. Marko Muru (EST); 5. Tim Braumüller (D); 6. Valentin Comte (F).
Standings
Euro RX1 (6/7): 1. Johan Kristoffersson (S), 197; 2. Andreas Bakkerud (N), 161; 3. Juha Rytkönen (FIN), 145; 4. Ole Christian Veiby (N), 129; 5. Joni Turpeinen (FIN), 102; 6. Patrick O’Donovan (IRL), 82; etc.
Euro RX3 (6/7): 1. Rytis Gurklys (LT), 142; 2. Julien Meunier (F), 134; 3. Libor Teješ (CZ), 81; 4. Sámuel Kovács (H), 77; 5. Nicolas Geleyns (B), 76; 6. André Sousa (P), 65; etc.
Euro RX4 (6/7): 1. Andréa Bénézet (F), 102; 2. Filip Melon (PL), 94; 3. Ivo Gabrāns (LV), 69; 4. Haotian Deng (CHN), 64; 5. Alber Ako Kokk (EST), 59; 6. Thomas Quincé (F), 40; etc.
Euro RX5 (6/7): 1. Armin Raag (EST), 129; 2. Martin Juga (EST), 99; 3. Tim Braumüller (D), 74; 4. Diego Martínez (E), 72; 5. Valentin Comte (F), 59; 6. Marko Muru (EST), 49; etc.