Kristoffersson returns to World RX. DA Racing plans electric World RX future.

17 June / Nitro Rallycross revises its 2021 calendar in which a new event at Glen Helen in California replaces Wild West Motorsports Park in Nevada, the latter venue now closed. The series also plans to have race fans at all events and will put tickets on sale from 20 July. “We’re so excited to both add Glen Helen Raceway to the NRX 2021 calendar and to be able to open up the series to fans. We are eager to drop NRX into gear and for fans to be able to catch all the action in person.” said series boss Joe Carr.

18 June / French team DA Racing reveals that it is working towards a move to the FIA World Rallycross Championship when the series adopts electric cars in 2022. Announcing a two-car bid on the 2021 FA European Rallycross Championship, DA Racing says that this year’s push is intended to lay down foundations for a World RX campaign. Brothers JB and Andrea Dubourg will race in Euro RX1 this year and are expected to tackle selected World RX events with their Peugeot 208s. The start to the 2021 season has been good for DA Racing, JB Dubourg securing the Trophee Andros crown for the fifth time while it has also won the opening two events in the French Rallycross Championship with Romauld Delaunay. “DA Racing will also participate in the World Championship rounds at the Nürburgring. Being a new event, this will allow us to gauge the relative performance of our 208 WRX while continuing to prepare for the future as we work seriously on a World Championship entry for 2022. The team already has experience of electric technology having won the Andros E-Trophy with the support of Renault last winter, and we strongly believe this is the future for the sport,” said Dubourg. World RX Executive Director Arne Dirks said: “…even more significantly, the team’s focus on the future is a real vote of confidence and belief in World Rallycross’ new electric era, which is continuing to pick up pace. We have had a number of very positive and constructive conversations in recent weeks with manufacturers, teams and drivers all interested in coming on-board next season, and we very much hope to see DA Racing on the World Championship grid in 2022.”

20 June / Jonas Dalseth Jacobsen (VW Polo) won the top Supernational class in the opening round of the Norwegian Rallycross Championship at Gardemoen. NM Rallycross split its first event of the year over two days, Supernationals Classes One and Four and Juniors racing on Saturday with other classes running on Sunday. Jacobsen took the class four final ahead of category veteran Terje Morstad (Citroen Xsara) and Emil Sivesind (Audi), the latter having been fastest in the first and third qualifiers with Jacobsen fastest in Q2.
The Historic category drew four starters and was won by Arnfinn Bergseng in a MkI Escort. Marius Solberg Hansen (Citroen DS3) won Supernationa class one (Super1600) ahead of Mats Marthinsen and Robin Bakke Andresen. The class two (up to 2000cc) win was taken by Sigurd Erik Egeland (Mazda RX7) with former European Champion Guttorm Lindefjell making a return to racing and placing second in a Mazda RX8. The class three (2400cc) win was taken by Jorgen Syversen (Ford Fiesta) and Sindre Madsen Moe was best of the 15-strong Junior field.

20 June / Rallycross France moved on to Essay for its second event of the year where Romauld Delaunay again ran out the winner in DA Racing’s Citroen DS3. Delaunay had been locked in battle with Samuel Peu (Peugeot 208) throughout the day. each won their semi-finals to set up a duel in the final. Delaunay led but was passed by Peu who remained first on the road before penalised five-seconds for making his pass under yellow flags. Thatpushed Peu back to second place. Emmanuel Anne (Peugeot 208) made a strong return to racing by placing third, his first Supercar podium. Jimmy Terpereau (Citroen C2) bounced back from his round one defeat to beat Anthony Paillardon (Skoda Fabia) and Dylan Dufas (Renault Twingo) to the Super1600 victory. Tom le Jossec won the new Junior series in only his second rallycross event. Second place was enough for David Bouet to retain the series lead. Camille Barbe repeated her round one win to take victory in the Coupe Feminine where Amelie Moliexe and Coraline Hautbois completed the top three. Anthony Pelfrene (Renault Clio) collected his first Division Three win and Division Four was won by Sebastien Le Ferrand (Peugeot 208).

22 June / Johan Kristoffersson is announced as the second driver to join the EKS JC squad for the 2021 FIA World Rallycross Championship. The three-time World RX champion will race an Audi S1 alongside Enzo Ide. “If you can’t beat him, join him – it’s as simple as that,” said EKS JC Team Owner Mattias Ekstrom. “I have had many great battles with Johan and I think everyone can agree that he has a unique skill set, so, for me, he is a perfect fit for EKS JC’s 2021 campaign to once again challenge the rest of the field for the both – Teams and Drivers – titles.” Kristoffersson won the title in 2017 and 2018 and then returned in 2020 to win again with the car run by his family team. “The target when you enter a championship as the reigning champion is always to win it again, but that’s certainly no easy task. It’s a position I’ve been in twice already, and we will do whatever it takes to fight for the crown this year,” said Kristoffersson.

23 June / Pailler Competition will take part in the FIA European Rallycross Championship for RX1 in which it will run a pair of Peugeot 208s for brothers Fabien and Jonathan Pailler. The most successful team in French Rallycross, Pailler Competition was founded by Jean-Luc Pailler in 1992. The team will use a pair of ex-Peugeot Sport World RX cars (2016 vintage). “After 2015 and our first program at this level of competition, it is a real pleasure to be able to be back in the ranks of the FIA ​​European Championship! Over the past two years, we have learned a lot from these Peugeot 208 WRX from Peugeot Sport’s World RX program and we are now ready to try our luck on the European scene.In 2019, our speed and our ability to adapt without delay to the specificities of the Swedish track in Holjes were enough to reassure us about our potential at this level of competition,” said Fabien Pailler. Younger brother Jonathan, also an accomplished esports competitor proves to be something of a understatement too: “I know that I will have, on paper, a car capable of playing the leading roles. However, rallycross has never been an exact science and there are too many parameters to consider.”

This weekend  /  There’s plenty of racing going on out there this weekend, the CEZ event at Sosnova is likely to be the best attended in terms of entry size, the Estonian Championship moves to round two and the Russian series will visit the new track at Igora.

For our full guide of where to watch rallycross this year see the link below. This is updated regularly but remember to check with event organisers before travelling, even if events are on there may be restrictions on public access.