JK wins Spa World RX. Bakkerud is Euro Champ. Lameiro’s Portuguese crown.

10 October  /  The FIA World Rallycross Championship returns to Spa-Francorchamps where Johan Kristoffersson takes his second win of the year on a day that series leader Timmy Hansen fails to make the podium. Kristoffersson is joined in the top three by Kevin Hansen and Krizstian Szabo, the latter achieving his first World RX podium finish. For much of the weekend the pace was set by Kevin Abbring but the Dutchman’s chances of success were lost in a semi-final incident in which his Renault Megane was spun around.

The Belgian event also formed the final round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship for RX1. Four drivers were in the running for the title entering the event but by winning the event on his birthday Andreas Bakkerud elevated himself to the top of the points chart and claimed the title with ESmotorsport’s Skoda Fabia. Fabian Pailler finished the year second with Janis Baumanis (in a second ES car) placing third in the championship.

Euro RX3 had a smaller field than usual but the level of competition remained high and Jury Belevskiy was worked hard before winning the final ahead of Marat Knyavez. Jan Cerny was third on the road but dropped to sixth after receiving a penalty which gave Damian Litwinowicz his first podium finish.

Guillaume De Ridder took an emotional home victory in RX2e. Fastest in two qualifiers, the Belgian took the top step of the podium after winning semi-final and final and was flanked by Jesse Kallio and Isak Sjokvist. Klara Andersson made a strong debut in the championship, only once outside the top four on time in the qualifiers and taking fourth in the final.

10 October  /  Samuel Peu dominated the penultimate round of the French Rallycross Championship at Dreux, winning all qualifying races, semi-final and final before being demoted to fifth place by a ten-second penalty for an incident in the final. That handed victory to David Vincent, his first the Supercar category. David Fevre thus moved up to second with the last step on the podium collected by David Meslier, his second successive top three in a return to form. On Dreux’s Circuit Philippe Chanoine Jimmy Terpereau was unstoppable in Super1600 and in taking his fifth consecutive win of the year was able to put his name to the title with a round in hand. The Renault Clio-based Junior championship race was won by David Bouet who extended his lead in the series in a weekend that rivals did not prosper. Arthur le Boudouil lost out after going off the track in Q4 and Edgar Maloigne moved to second in the series. Alizee Pottier suffered heartache in the Coupe Feminine where her car stopped within sight of the finishing line in the final and she was consigned to last place. Camille Barbe inherited an unexpected win ahead of Janyce da Cruz and Marie Morel. Division Three got a first time event winner in Maxime Sordet (Citroen DS3) who collected the win after several years of trying while in Division Four Jean-Francois Blaise returned to the top of the points chart after taking the win.

10 October  /  The second visit of the year to Lousada  by the Portuguese Rallycross Championship produced a much-needed win for Jose Lameiro who, after a difficult start to the year, regained the RX Portugal title by winning the event in his Skoda Fabia. Returning to the series after his huge crash at Sever de Vouga in July, Oscar Ortfeldt took second in a rented Citroen DS3 R5 car, third place taken by Bruno Goncalves’ rallycross version of the DS3.  The Super1600 title was also wrapped up at Lousada where Joao Ribeiro took the crown for the fourth time despite placing fourth in the event after an incident with Mario Barbosa. Joaquim Machado (Peugeot 208) claimed the event win ahead of Jose Teixeira and Nuno Araujo. Andre Ferreira dominated the National 1.6 class to put his name to the title, Rafael Rego claimed his fifth Junior class win of the year and Luis Moreira won the National Two-wheel drive in his BMW. Hugo Bueno won the Junior Kartcross final, his third win of the year, and Alexandre Borges emerged from the huge battle in Kartcross to take the win ahead of Jorge Gonzaga and Rui Nunes, a result that ensures the title battle goes to the final round of the series.

10 October  /  The Slovakiaring welcome the Slovakian National Championship to an eventy that also counted for the Czech, Polish and CEZ Championships and formed the first of two consecutive weekends of rallycross action. Hungarian racer Mate Benyo (Ford Focus) took his second event of the year after winning two of the three qualifiers. Ales Fucik (VW Polo) was fastest in Q2 and then chased Benyo home in the final while CEZ and Polish rtacer Zbigniew Staniszewski (Fiesta) placed third. Dvorak Radek (Skoda Fabia) won the 1600cc section of the SuperTouring class, Roman Castoral (Opel Astra) top of the 2000cc section and Pawel Melon (BMW M2) claiming victory among the over 2000cc cars.

John Wood  /  We are sad to record the recent death of British rallycrosser John Wood who was killed in a motorcycle accident. A regular of the Modified/Supernational category for many years, John also supported the racing activitie of his son Gareth.

This weekend  /  World RX moves on to one of the finest playgrounds this sport has to offer at Montalegre while RX Italia goes to Sardinia for the first event on a new track at Ittiri. There’s also more action at the Slovakiaring with the Hungarian and Czech championships in town, while DRX and CARX are also racing this week.

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.

Pics: World RX, Portugal RX, MNASZ, Rallycross France