Villagra is CARX champ. Ostberg tests with ES. PSRX pauses.

14 December PSRX says that it will ‘pause’ it’s involvement in World RX. “The important thing to understand here is that this is a pause – a pause and not an end. I still believe in World RX. I still believe this championship can deliver the most sustainable, relevant, entertaining and competitive racing anywhere in the world,” said team owner Petter Solberg. The decision from PSRX follows decisions from Audi Sport to discontinue its association with EKS and PSA’s termination of Peugeot’s participation in motor sport as a factory team. World RX is likely to have exclusively private teams in its 2019 entry.

15 December GRC Europe announces a calendar of five double-header events to take place in France, Britain (Lydden), Portugal, Austria and Hungary.

16 December Second place in the final CARX event of the year brings Federico Villagra (Ford Fiesta) his third consecutive Argentine championship. The final round, the Grand Prix Coronacion de Arrecifes, is won by Mariano Terrazo (VW) – his first win in the series. Former tennis pro David Nalbandian (Chevrolet) places third and is runner-up in the championship. “I am very happy because I was able to finish another year in the best way. For me it has been a very good 2018. I won the Argentine Rally Championship and now also the CARX Championship, which makes a great season for the whole team and for me personally,” said Villagra. Omar Kovacevich (Mitsubishi) and Sebastian Monserrat take the N4 and Junior titles respectively.

19 December Fifth in the seven-event series after round one, JB Dubourg prepares for this weekend’s second Andros Trophy counter with the 60kg of success ballast removed from his DA Racing Renault Captur. As title holder, Dubourg carried the penalty weight in the series opener at Val-Thorens in which Aurelien Panis took a historic win in his electric Audi-bodied car. Panis will carry 60kg of ballast in Andorra this weekend.

20 December Volkswagen Sweden announces that Johan Kristoffersson will contest the 2019 WTCR at the wheel of a Volkswagen Golf GTi run by Sebastien Loeb Racing, where he will race alongside Rob Huff and Mehdi Bennani. “After four years of rallycross, it will be my first racing season at international level since 2013. Most of the races are completely new to me and are therefore a big challenge. I’m also looking forward to working with my new team companions … In addition, Sébastien Loeb Racing is an experienced team and I am pleased to continue within the Volkswagen family,” said Kristoffersson who used Golf TCR to win the Swedish Touring Car Championship this year.

19 December ES Motorsport-BR Group continues its testing programme by running at Mettet. Mads Ostberg joins Kevin Abring in the driving. Andreas Bakkerud was also scheduled to drive during the two-day test with the new Skoda.

Photos World RX / CARX / DA Racing / Volkswagen Sweden