PSRX Volkswagen Team Sweden are currently the team to beat after the first day’s action at the 2017 World RX of Belgium with Johan Kristoffersson holding the overnight lead.
Despite being second fastest to team-mate Petter Solberg in Q1, Kristoffersson went quickest in Q2 and leads the standings due to holding the fastest lap so far, despite both VW drivers having the same score. Solberg holds second position in the overnight standings.
Petter Solberg wants to win in Belgium. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX
With the last three World RX events being won by Ekstrom, Solberg has made his intentions clear.
“We have to try to do this properly,” said Solberg. “We have been good in all of the qualifying’s this year but we have never finished the job properly and now we try to do it. We’re going for a victory that’s for sure.”
“We’re just fed up with Ekstrom winning the races, we can’t let him pull away any more. The car is working well, we’re fine turning all the time and we are working together to find the small steps. It’s good fun, really good.”
Sebastien Loeb is in the top three after the first days action in Belgium. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX
Sebastien Loeb holds third place ahead of Kevin Eriksson, whilst Ken Block completes the top five after winning both of his Qualifying races. Timmy Hansen sits in sixth place whilst Hockenheim winner Mattias Ekstrom has had a difficult day and sit in seventh place overall with work to do on Sunday.
Timur Timerzyanov in the first of the STARD Racing Fiesta’s lies in eighth place ahead of the third Peugeot-Hansen of Kevin Hansen whilst EKSRX’s Topi Heikkinen completes the top ten.
Andreas Bakkerud is looking to improve after the first day in Belgium. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX
Andreas Bakkerud is in eleventh place, however the Hoonigan Racing driver has been handed a five second penalty due to contact with Timmy Hansen as the two drivers went in to the first turn in Q2. Reinis Nitiss completes the top twelve places needed to get into the Semi-Finals.
Some of the big names missing from the top twelve include Timo Scheider, Janis Baumanis, Guy Wilks and Francois Duval in the Albatec Racing entry.
In the RX2 International Series, Simon Olofsson holds the overnight lead whilst British driver Dan Rooke sits in second place overall with all to play for when the action gets underway on Sunday.
