It’s a two out of two for Johan Kristoffersson (VW Polo) who won the second round of the 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship at Höljes in Sweden today (July 7). The defending champion was already victorious yesterday in the opening round of the championship. Today he beat Niclas Grönholm (PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e) and teammate Ole Christian Veiby (VW Polo) in the final. In the European championships wins in RX1, RX2e and RX3 were respectively for Patrick O’Donovan (Peugeot 208), Niklas Andersson (RX2e) and Nils Volland (Audi A1).
For the second round of the 2024 championship the weather conditions changed drastically. While the first round saw dry weather conditions, on Sunday the racing went underway under wet weather conditions. Despite those weather conditions Kristoffersson picked up where he left off yesterday and scored a heat race win in the first one of the day. Kevin Hansen (Peugeot 208 RX1e) won the other first heat race. In the second heat the race wins went to Sondre Evjen (VW Polo RX1e) and one more time Kristoffersson. In the ranking Kristoffersson was on top of it ahead of Niclas Grönholm and Evjen.
The first semi-final with a ICE VW Polo (Kristoffersson) and an electrical VW Polo (Evjen) on the front row went underway with Kristoffersson ahead of Evjen. For the latter the semi-final came to a halt in the third lap when he spun the car. Eventually Kristoffersson, Veiby and Timmy Hansen (Peugeot 208 RX1e), while facing torrential rain, made it to the first three meaning qualification for the final. The second semi-final, ran in even worse weather conditions, went to Grönholm ahead of Kevin Hansen and Gustav Bergström (VW Polo RX1e). Yesterday’s second place finisher Klara Andersson (PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e) was left out for the final.
Kristoffersson and Grönholm occupied the front row of the World RX final. Kevin Hansen and Ole Christian Veiby were on the second row while Bergström and Timmy Hansen were allowed to take part in the final from the third row. Kristoffersson made it first to turn one ahead of Grönholm with Kevin Hansen making it immediately into the joker lap section. Kristoffersson and Grönholm kept running one and two until the final lap when both made it into the joker lap section. Grönholm managed it to stay second as he was able to exit ahead of Veiby. This way Kristoffersson scored a two out of two in the 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship. Grönholm and Veiby were the ones who joined him on the podium. Kevin Hansen, Bergström and Timmy Hansen were the other finishers in the final.
In Euro RX1 Patrick O’Donovan was on top of the ranking after his three heat race wins yesterday and a second place in Sunday’s heat. Peter Hedström (Peugeot 208) and Sivert Svardal (VW Polo Mk5) were second and third. In the first semi-final O’Donovan finished second and was through to the final. The win was for Finn Mika Liimatainen (Hyundai i20). Sivert Svardal failed to finished and was out. Afterwards in the second semi-final Volland Racing’s Yury Belevskiy (Audi S1) scored a lights to flag win with teammate Damian Litwinowicz (Audi S1) running second all the time. The other qualifier for the final was Peter Hedström after Filip Thorén (VW Polo Mk5) spun his car before the final turn. Liimatainen and Belevskiy were lined up side by side on the front row of the RX1 final. O’Donovan and Litwinowicz were on the second row with Peter Hedström and Zoltán Koncseg (Audi S1) on the third row. In the final Liimatainen was missing his start and consequently made it into the joker lap section in the opening lap. Belevskiy had the better start but spun his car off the track during the turn one carnage. O’Donovan was then leading it by the end of the first lap from Hedström and Koncseg. Meanwhile Liimatainen was moving up positions when the others were passing through the joker lap section. O’Donovan on the other hand was way ahead and remained in the lead after he passed through the joker lap section. Liimatainen came in second ahead of Damian Litwinowicz who scored a podium in his first Euro RX1 race. Peter Hedström was afterwards disqualified from the final for the turn one incident.
In Euro RX2e overnight leader Nils Andersson added another heat race win in the wet on Sunday morning to finish on top of the ranking with maximum (championship) points. Isak Sjökvist (RX2e) was placed second ahead of Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky (RX2e). Following the seven starters only one driver need to be eliminated before the finals. This was eventually “Luigi” (RX2e) who came in fourth in the first semi-final after having battled it out with Molly Taylor (RX2e). The six remaining drivers were lined up for the final with Nils Andersson and Isak Sjökvist sharing the front row. Andersson beat Sjökvist in the start and went into the lead ahead of Åhlin-Kottulinsky and Molly Taylor. The three cars went into the joker lap section in the final lap allowing Estonian Marko Muru (RX2e) to overtake Taylor. Åhlin-Kottulinsky managed it to resist the pressure of Muru in the final lap and finished second behind Andersson.
Also in Euro RX3 three heats were concluded yesterday in dry weather conditions with João Ribeiro (Audi A1) leading on Saturday evening. On Sunday morning he added another heat race win to it and remained on top of the ranking. Nils Volland qualified second prior to the semi-finals. The first semi-final went to Sámuel Kovács (Škoda Fabia Mk3) ahead of João Ribeiro. Nils Volland drove to victory in the second semi-final ahead of Balász Kőrmőczi (VW Polo Mk5). Then in the final Volland won the start and went into the first turn ahead of the other front row starter Kőrmőczi. The latter went into the joker lap section in the second lap with Volland reacting to it the lap after. Unfortunately for the Hungarian the car got a puncture and he was forced to slow down and eventually retire from the final. Volland completed the remaining laps and won the RX3 category ahead of Joao Ribeiro and Sámuel Kovács.
The next event takes place at Nyirád in Hungary on July 27-28 featuring another World RX double header event together with all European championship categories.
Results
World RX – Final: 1. Johan Kristoffersson (S), VW Polo; 2. Niclas Grönholm (FIN), PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e; 3. Ole Christian Veiby (N), VW Polo; 4. Kevin Hansen (S), Peugeot 208 RX1e; 5. Gustav Bergström (S), VW Polo RX1e; 6. Timmy Hansen (S), Peugeot 208 RX1e.
World RX Team: 1. Kristoffersson Motorsport (S), 50; 2. Construction Equipment Dealer Team (S), 34; 3. Hansen World RX Team (S), 30.
Euro RX1 – Final: 1. Patrick O’Donovan (IRL), Peugeot 208; 2. Mika Liimatainen (FIN), Hyundai i20; 3. Damian Litwinowicz (PL), Audi S1; -. Zoltán Koncseg (H), Audi S1 – DNF; -. Yury Belevskiy (RUS), Audi S1 – DNF; -. Peter Hedström (S), Peugeot 208 – DSQ.
Euro RX2e – Final: 1. Nils Andersson (S), RX2e; 2. Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky (S), RX2e; 3. Marko Muru (EST), RX2e; 4. Molly Taylor (AUS), RX2e; 5. Luka Wlömer (D), RX2e; 6. Isak Sjökvist (S), RX2e.
Euro RX3 – Final: 1. Nils Volland (D), Audi A1; 2. João Ribeiro (P), Audi A1; 3. Sámuel Kovács (H), Škoda Fabia Mk3; 4. Dominik Senegacnik (A), Škoda Fabia Mk3; 5. André Sousa (P), Audi A1; 6. Balász Kőrmőczi (H), VW Polo Mk5.
Standings
World RX (2/10): 1. Johan Kristoffersson (S), 58; 2. Niclas Grönholm (FIN), 36; 3. Klara Andersson (S), 36; 4. Ole Christian Veiby (N), 35; 5. Gustav Bergström (S), 33; 6. Timmy Hansen (S), 31; etc.
World RX Team (2/10): 1. Kristoffersson Motorsport (S), 93; 2. Construction Equipment Dealer Team (S), 72; 2. Hansen World RX Team (S), 60.
Euro RX1 (2/5): 1. Patrick O’Donovan (IRL), 37; 2. Mika Liimatainen (FIN), 33; 3. Damian Litwinowicz (PL), 26; 4. Yury Belevskiy (RUS), 26; 5. Peter Hedström (S), 22; 6. Máté Benyó (H), 20; etc.
Euro RX2e (2/5): 1. Nils Andersson (S), 40; 2. Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky (S), 32; 3. Isak Sjökvist (S), 27; 4. Marko Muru (EST), 26; 5. Luka Wlömer (D), 23; 6. Molly Taylor (AUS), 20; etc.
Euro RX3 (2/5): 1. Nils Volland (D), 38; 2. João Ribeiro (P), 34; 3. Sámuel Kovács (H), 32; 4. Balász Kőrmőczi (H), 24; 5. Dominik Senegacnik (A), 22; 6. André Sousa (P), 19; etc.