ESmotorsport for World RX 2022. National racing in Portugal, Italy, Ireland.

28 October / ESmotorsport becomes the third team to commit to the 2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship as the series enters its new all-electric era. Formed by former racer Ernestas Staponkus, the Lithunanian team first appeared in World RX in 2019 and always had electric at the heart of its long-term plans. This year the squad has run a brace of Skoda Fabias in the FIA European Rallycross Championship, Andreas Bakkerud winning the title with Janis Baumanis placing third and each driver winning an event. “We are excited to confirm that ESmotorsport will enter World RX in 2022. Even just a couple of years ago, it seemed inconceivable that we would have this kind of evolution in rallycross but here we are, with a brighter future just around the corner and we are excited to be a small part of this big transition. We believe that the new promoter alongside the FIA, Kreisel and the other teams are doing a fantastic job looking at ways to make improvements for 2022, and Ernestas [Staponkus] is delighted by the decision to make the championship more sustainable – not to mention the awesome new RX1e beasts. Jaws are definitely going to drop when people see these cars on-track…” said Team Manager Robertas Maneikis.

31 October / The third round of the Irish Rallycross Championship takes place at Mondello Park where Derek Tohill (Ford Fiesta) takes the win in the Superfinal. Tohill had earlier won the Supercar final in which Declan Kelly (Fiesta) places second. Kelly led the chase of Tohill again in the Superfinal, but went out in the second lap after running into the rear of Tohill’s similar car. Second in the Superfinal was taken by Pete McGarry (Volvo C30) who progressed to the last race of the day as winner of the Modified (Supernational) final. Philip Kelly (Toyota MR2) and Stanley Bovill (Escort) completed the top three in the Modified field. Michael Ryan won the Fiesta Zetec final, Loughlin Farrell was the Junior winner and Jake O’Sullivan (Semog) was best of the buggy field. Tommy Graham (Fiesta) was third to Tohill and McGarry in the Superfinal.

31 October / The final round of the Italian Rallycross Championship runs in mixed weather at Maggiora in an event also awarding CEZ points. Italian champion Davide Riccio (Hyundai i20 R5) skipped the event, leaving LucaMaria Rizzello (Peugeot 208 T16 R5) to take the win while Roasario Corallo (Subaru Impreza) became the Supercar champion. Paolo Barbieri (Citroen C2) inherited the Super1600 win after on-the-road winner Balazs Kormoczi (Suzuki Swift) was disqualified. Silvano Ruga (Renaut Clio) was elevated to second place in the event and became the Super1600 champion. Roman Castoral (Opel Astra) took the SuperTouringCar win and secured the Italian title. Austrian Richard Forster (VW Polo) won the up to 1600cc class. The Kartcross final needed a restart after a first lap crash. Marcello Gallo (LifeLive TN5) kept his cool to win the race and take his third title in the class after Marco Berniga (Planet Kartcross) spun out.

31 October / The final round of the Portuguese Rallycross Championship takes place at Castelo Branco where champion-elect Jose Lameiro (Skoda Fabia) confirmed his title by winning in difficult conditions. The Super1600 title had also been decided in the penultimate event and while incoming champion Joao Ribeiro handed his Skoda Fabia to his father, Portuguese autocross legend Rodrigo Ribeiro, for the day, it was Mario Barbosa (Citroen Saxo) who bagged the event win. Leandro Macedo (Saxo) won the National 1.6 final and Goncalo Novo (Toyota Starlet) won the Junior final and Rafael Rego (Semog Bravo) won the Juior Kartcross final. Stepping up from the Junior saloon series in which he was champion, it was a stellar kartcross debut for Rego who beat Junior Kartcross Champion Hugo Bueno in the final. Kartcross was again the best contested class and was won by Pedro Rosario (Semog Bravo) who led home Jorge Gonzaga (LBS RX01) andf Rui Nunes (Semog Bravo). Gonzaga led the title battle entering the final RX Portugal event and put the crown beyond reach of his rivals after the qualifying heats. Alexandre Borges (Semog Bravo) was top qualifier but dropped to fourth in the final.

31 October / At the Norwegian ASN’s Motorsport Gala 17-year-old Marius Solberg Hansen wins the Petter Solberg Scholarship. Solberg Hansen (no relation to Solberg) collects the award and it’s NOK150,000 (€14,000) prize money at the end of a year in which he won Norwegian championships in rallycross and racing and placed second in the hillclimb championship. Solberg Hansen plans to drive in the FIA European Rallycross Championship for RX3 in 2022. “I am incredibly grateful and proud to receive this scholarship. It is an honor in itself, and the money also comes in handy in the preparations for next year’s season,” said Solberg Hansen.

1 November / Dom Flitney is to race his recently acquired ex-Frode Holte/Daniel Holten Volvo C30 Supercar in the remaining rounds of the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy, starting with this weekend’s double-header at Lydden. Former Swift Sport race winner, Flitney previously tried his hand in Supercar witha self-built Subaru Impreza. “It [the Volvo] will of course be very different to anything I’ve ever driven, even the sequential gearbox will be a first, and it’s obviously much more high-tech than the Subaru. Hopefully the increased power output will allow me to run much higher up the grid, with a long-term view to be chasing for podiums and wins,” said Flitney.

This weekend / As Europe begins to think about the winter break there is a double-header of championship action at Lydden where the British Championship is in town for day-night racing. The Hungarian Championship concludes at Nyirad. If you can’t get out to play, check out the season highlights from one of the best national championships, Finland’s Rallicross SM.

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, IRX, RX Italia, RX Portugal, 5 Nations BRX,