Johan Kristoffersson (VW Polo RX1e) won the third round of the 2025 FIA World Rallycross Championship at Nyirád (Nyirád Racing Center) in Hungary today (July 20), his second win of the season. The defending champion won the World RX final from teammate Ole Christian Veiby (VW Polo RX1e) and Timmy Hansen (Peugeot 208 RX1e), making it a one two for Kristoffersson Motorsport. In the 2025 FIA European Rallycross Championship victories went respectively to home driver Zoltán Koncseg (Audi S1) in Euro RX1 and to João Ribeiro (Audi A1) in Euro RX3.
Kristoffersson Motorsport was leading it on Saturday evening after Q2 with Johan Kristoffersson and Ole Christian Veiby (VW Polo RX1e) occupying the first two spots in the ranking. Today Kristoffersson added two more fastest times to it to end qualifying with maximum points and earn three championship points. Niclas Grönholm (PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e) beat Veiby in Q4 preventing the VW Polo RX1e cars finishing one and two in the ranking. Fourth after the heats was Patrick O’Donovan (Peugeot 208) in the ICE Peugeot 208. The ICE cars were running in Hungary with 15 kilograms less compared to the previous events after ‘Equivalence Of Technologies’ (EoT) adjustments made by FIA. Also the EV cars saw the maximum power output reduced.
Following qualifying Kristoffersson and Veiby were sharing the front row of the first semi-final. Timmy [Hansen] and Kevin Hansen (Peugeot 208 RX1e) were on the second row. As three drivers were making it through to the final, the question was who will be eliminated. It was a tough start with Veiby and Timmy Hansen fighting for second place behind Kristoffersson. Eventually Veiby came out of turn 2 ahead of Timmy Hansen. Those positions didn’t’ change anymore leaving Kevin Hansen out for the final. The second semi-final with Grönholm on pole and O’Donovan the other front row starter saw after turn two both of the CE Dealer Team cars running first and second followed by Juha Rytkönen (Hyundai i20) in an ICE Hyundai. O’Donovan spun his car in the opening lap and was forced to retire from the semi-final and as such he was out for the final.
The World RX final had another Kristoffersson Grönholm front row with this time Veiby and Klara Andersson (PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e) on the second row. Timmy Hansen and Juha Rytkönen completed the grid. When the green light was shown Kristoffersson and Grönholm when side by side to turn one with Kristoffersson coming out of it leading the field. Veiby went into second and Timmy Hansen from the last row joined in third. Andersson and Grönholm then both went into the joker lap section in the opening lap. Rytkönen, who ran fourth, did the same in the lap after joining the main track as fifth splitting up the CE Dealer cars. In the mean time Kristoffersson continued, setting another fastest lap, passing through the joker lap section in the final lap to score a solid win. Veiby completed the Kristoffersson Motorsport success with finishing second and Timmy Hansen made it to the podium for the third time this season after his third place finish. In the standings after three event Kristoffersson is the new points leader with 72 points, 7 points clear on Niclas Grönholm (65 points) who is second.
Mika Liimatainen (Hyundai i20) was the top qualifier in Euro RX1 after the Finn set fastest time in Sunday’s qualifying sessions. Damian Litwinowicz (Audi S1), who was leading it on Saturday evening, qualified second ahead of Hungarian Andor Trepák (Renault Mégane Mk4) who had to deal with a puncture on his Mégane in Q4. Tamás Kárai (Audi S1) qualified fourth ahead of points leader before Hungary Yury Belevskiy (Audi S1) and Zoltán Koncseg. Liimatainen and Trepák were on the front row for the first semi-final, with Belevskiy on the second row. It was Liimatainen who came out of the second turn and leading it towards turns 3 and 4. Trepák, while battling it out for second with Belevskiy, made contact with the wall just after turn two and was out for the rest of the semi-final. Liimitainen had a solid run and finished ahead of Belevskiy and Nils Volland (Audi S1). In the second semi-final it was an Audi S1 top three with Litwinowicz winning it from the two Hungarian Audi S1, Zoltán Koncseg and Tamás Kárai.
In the Euro RX1 final Liimatainen got the best start with Belevskiy making it to second from the second row. Then Liimatianen went wide in the beginning of the second lap and made contact with Belevskiy but managed it to keep his car on the track and stay in the lead. With Belevskiy to retire from the final, Nils Volland ran second with Koncseg, who passed already through the joker lap section, third. The Hungarian made it into second later on in the fourth lap when Volland was slowing down. In the remaining laps Koncseg was lowering the gap between him and Liimatainen bit by bit giving him the possibility to pass Liimatainen when the latter passed through the joker lap section in the final lap. Behind winner Koncseg, who celebrated his first win ever in the European championship, and Liimatainen it was Damian Litwinowicz who claimed the last podium spot. Yury Belevskiy (66 points) remains points leader, now holding a four-point-gap on Mika Liimatainen (62 points).
In Euro RX3 João Ribeiro continued on his Saturday pace on Sunday morning with setting a second fastest and fastest time in Q3 and Q4 to become the top qualifier. Dominik Senegacnik (Škoda Fabia Mk3), who was fastest in Q3 by beating Ribeiro with one thousand of a second (3:20.811 vs 3:20.812), qualified second. Ribeiro was then victorious in the first semi-final that he lead from lights to flag. Hungarians Balász Kőrmőczi (VW Polo Mk5) and Sámuel Kovács (Škoda Fabia Mk3) finished second and third and were also qualified for the final. Senegacnik was on pole for the second semi-final but got beaten in the start by Rytis Gurklys (Audi A1). During the third lap Senegacnik then ended up in the wall after a technical failure with the wheel of his Fabia. Gurklys won the semi-final ahead of Czech drivers Václav Tůma (Škoda Fabia Mk3) and Libor Teješ (Audi A1). In the Euro RX3 final Ribeiro came out first of turn one and was followed by Tůma and Gurklys after turn two. The first named then passed through the joker lap in the opening lap while Gurklys spun his car and was down in the pack allowing Kőrmőczi and Kovács climbing to second and third. Ribeiro was controlling it and passed through the joker lap section in the penultimate lap staying in the lead. For the Portuguese it was also his second win this season after earlier success in the opening round of the championship in Lousada, Portugal. Kőrmőczi finished second with Sámuel Kovács completing the Euro RX3 podium. Ribeiro now counts 69 points in the standings with Rytis Gurklys (54 points) second.
The 2025 World and European championships continues with round four of the series on August 23-24 at the KymiRing at Kausala in Finland.
Results
World RX – Final: 1. Johan Kristoffersson (S), VW Polo RX1e; 2. Ole Christian Veiby (N), VW Polo RX1e; 3. Timmy Hansen (S), Peugeot 208 RX1e; 4. Klara Andersson (S), PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e; 5. Juha Rytkönen (FIN), Hyundai i20; 6. Niclas Grönholm (FIN), PWR Hyundai i20 RX1e.
World RX Team: 1. Kristoffersson Motorsport (S), 49; 2. Construction Equipment Dealer Team (S), 30; 3. Hansen World RX Team (S), 28.
Euro RX1 – Final: 1. Zoltán Koncseg (H), Audi S1; 2. Mika Liimatainen (FIN), Hyundai i20; 3. Damian Litwinowicz (PL), Audi S1; 4. Nils Volland (S), Audi S1; 5. Tamás Kárai (H), Audi S1; 6. Yury Belevskiy (RUS), Audi S1 – DNF.
Euro RX3 – Final: 1. João Ribeiro (P), Audi A1; 2. Balász Kőrmőczi (H), VW Polo Mk5; 3. Sámuel Kovács (H), Škoda Fabia Mk3; 4. Václav Tůma (CZ), Škoda Fabia Mk3; 5. Rytis Gurklys (LT), Audi A1; 6. Libor Teješ (CZ), Audi A1.
Standings
World RX (3/6): 1. Johan Kristoffersson (S), 72; 2. Niclas Grönholm (FIN), 65; 3. Timmy Hansen (S), 55; 4. Ole Christian Veiby (N), 50; 5. Juha Rytkönen (FIN), 42; 6. Kevin Hansen (S), 39; etc.
World RX Team (3/6): 1. Kristoffersson Motorsport (S), 122; 2. Construction Equipment Dealer Team (S), 104; 3. Hansen World RX Team (S), 94.
Euro RX1 (3/5): 1. Yury Belevskiy (RUS), 66; 2. Mika Liimatainen (FIN), 62; 3. Damian Litwinowicz (PL), 54; 4. Nils Volland (D), 39; 5. László Kiss (H), 30; 6. Martin Enlund (S), 28; etc.
Euro RX3 (3/5): 1. João Ribeiro (P), 69; 2. Rytis Gurklys (LT), 54; 3. Balász Kőrmőczi (H), 44; 4. Nicolas Geleyns (B), 43; 5. Libor Teješ (CZ), 42; 6. Sámuel Kovács (H), 41; etc.