European Rallycross

Bryntesson Claims Maiden Euro RX Victory at Loheac

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Thomas Bryntesson, winner of the 2017 Euro RX of France. Credit: JC Raceteknik/McKlein

Thomas Bryntesson became the third man to win a round of the 2017 FIA European Rallycross Championship for Supercars after taking his maiden victory in the class at a very wet Euro RX of France.

Whilst the JC Raceteknik driver finished second overall to championship leader Anton Marklund after Qualifying, a smooth first lap in very wet and murky conditions at the Temple of Rallycross saw the young Swedish driver take command of the Supercar Final.

Bryntesson leads the Supercar Final at the Euro RX of France. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX

The grid for the Supercar Final was unexpected as Tamas Pal Kiss took pole position in his Speedbox Racing Peugeot 208 with French Rallycross Championship regular Firmin Cadeddu on the front row with the Hungarian driver, courtesy of taking the win in Semi-Final Two. Bryntesson and Marklund made up the middle row whilst Tommy Rustad in the Albatec Racing Peugeot 208 joined Derek Tohill in his PFCRX Ford Fiesta on the back row.

It was Kiss who took the lead at the lights and kept it into turn one, however both Marklund and Cadeddu slid wide and this allowed Bryntesson to make up ground. As they headed into the hairpin, Kiss went wide and Marklund tapped the back of Bryntesson, who came through to take the lead as the Marklund Motorsport driver made a late move to take a first lap joker along with Tohill.

Tamas Pal Kiss pushed Bryntesson for the lead in the Euro RX Supercar Final. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX

At the end of the first lap, Bryntesson led from the battling pair of Kiss and Cadeddu whilst Rustad passed Marklund for fourth over the start finish line with Tohill bringing up the rear. The field stayed this way until lap three where Cadeddu guided his Citroen C4 into the joker lap with Rustad in tow. Cadeddu emerged ahead of Marklund who had to battle to keep the Norwegian behind.

However at the start of lap four, it became obvious that the Albatec Racing driver had a left front puncture which dropped him to the back of the field. Kiss took his joker on lap four to stay in front of Cadeddu with Bryntesson electing to take his a lap later.

Tommy Rustad was slowed by a left front puncture in the Supercar Final at Loheac. Credit: Albatec Racing

Whilst Kiss pursued Bryntesson all the way to the line, there was nothing the Speedbox Racing driver could to stop the JC Raceteknik driver as Bryntesson stayed ahead to take the win. With Kiss in second place, Cadeddu came home in third to complete the podium. Marklund finished in fourth place whilst Tohill and Rustad completed the field.

Anton Marklund now holds an eighteen point lead over Thomas Bryntesson in the Drivers Championship with Tommy Rustad a further eleven points back in third place. Robin Larsson held second place coming into the event however the former World RX race winner suffered a torrid time in Qualifying where contact in both Q1 and Q2 meant he would finish in fourteenth place overall and miss out on the Semi Finals. Larsson now lies in fifth position in the standings.

Robin Larsson dropped from second place to fifth place in the Euro RX Drivers Championship at Loheac. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX

The final round of the 2017 FIA European Rallycross Championship for Supercars takes place at the Riga circuit in Latvia on September 15-17. Riga was the scene of where 2016 FIA European Rallycross Champion Kevin Hansen secured his title in the Hansen Academy Peugeot 208.

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I have been a very passionate fan of Motorsport for over 30 years with Touring Cars as my favourite form of Motor Racing. I cover The TCR UK Series, The TCR Europe Series and The FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) as well as following various TCR Series around the world.
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