RallycrossRX Showdown in Germany

The final round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship takes place in at the Estering, Germany this weekend with the top prize in rallycross still up for grabs.

Reigning champion Timur Timeryanov has led the title chase since round two in Portugal, and despite having not won an event he has consistently scored through every event, he has never failed to make the semi-finals, and only once has he not made the final. Nearest challenger to the Russian has been rallycross new-boy and team-mate Timmy Hansen, who has had a poor couple of events of late, allowing ever-present Frenchman Davy Jeanney to sneak into second.

A maximum of 28 championship points are available from a round of RallycrossRX. With Jeanney 20 points behind Timerzyanov, and Hansen another three points further back you could be forgiven for thinking that the outcome is almost a certainty. However, anything can happen in rallycross, especially in the current format that requires consistency through the four qualifying heats. There are many permutations to how the title race could go this weekend, every position and point can be critical. Below are the two key points we think you should keep an eye on this weekend, the two most obvious scenarios that will crown one of the trio as champion;

–          If Timerzyanov finishes in the top eight of at the Intermediate Classification, even if either Jeanney or Hansen qualifies first and take wins in both the semi-final and final, Timerzyanov will be champion for the second year in succession.

–          If Timerzyanov scores fewer than eight points throughout the event then Jeanney has a chance but only if he takes maximum points, while Hansen will only be able to win the title if Timerzyanov scores fewer than five points  and he is able to take maximum points and at the same time score better than Jeanney by three points through the event.

Fourth in the championship Andreas Bakkerud may well have still been in with a shout of the title but for a poor weekend last time out in Austria. The Norwegian will have his sights set on Hansen, currently 19 points ahead in their own battle to finish as Supercar rookie of the season.

Super1600 was wrapped by Latvian Reinis Nitiss in Austria last weekend, but the remaining two podium positions are still up for grabs. Ildar Rakhmatullin currently holds second position but is only three points ahead of third place man Eric Faren. With Ulrik Linnemann just seven points behind Faren second spot it all to play for in Super1600.

Derek Tohill claimed TouringCar with a win in Austria and promptly announced his graduation to Supercar next season. With Tohill champion, the next four drivers in the standings are all mathematically able to finish on the championship podium. Roman Castoral, Robin Larsson, Koen Pauwels and Daniel Lundh could all still do it. The racing will be as fierce as ever.

JRX is also going down to the wire, and is the only category that will almost certainly go down to the final race of the year. William Nilsson dominated the first three events of the season, but Kevin Hansen has struck back in both Sweden and France. Nilsson leads Hansen by a single point heading into Germany and while the top two might think they have it all their own way, Magda Andersson could easily upset either of their weekends by winning the event for herself.

[portfolio_slideshow]