Andreas Bakkerud has excelled in all of the Supercars he has driven during his time in the FIA World Rallycross Championship and 2018 is no exception to the rule.
The Norwegian driver has joined EKS Audi Sport for the 2018 World RX Season and is enjoying his time in the Audi Sport backed Swedish squad alongside Team Principal and team-mate Mattias Ekstrom.
In fact, last weekend’s 2018 World RX of Portugal was a first for Bakkerud as he had to deal with dry track conditions on Saturday during Qualifying before first Rain and then Snow descended on the Montalegre circuit for Sunday’s action. Bakkerud explains more.
Bakkerud finished as Top Qualifier for the 2018 World RX of Portugal. Credit: Ferdi Kräling Motorsport-Bild GmbH
“I’ve never driven a supercar on snow before,” said the Norwegian. “The conditions were extremely difficult. In the end, I only finished fourth. But the joy about my first Qualifying victory in the Audi S1 EKS RX quattro outweighs any disappointment.”
Whilst the multiple World RX race winner managed to bag two top five paces during Q1 and Q2 on Saturday, Sunday was where Bakkerud excelled.
Spurred on by the changing conditions and changing grip conditions, The Norwegian went fastest in Q3 before going fastest again in Q4, meaning that he secured the Top Qualifier spot and Pole Position for Semi-Final One.
Bakkerud lies in secind place in the Drivers Championship after Portugal. Credit: Ferdi Kräling Motorsport-Bild GmbH
Despite finishing sixth tenths of a second behind eventual winner Johan Kristoffersson in the Semi-Finals, Bakkerud made it to the Final, however the Supercar Final was when the snow hit and the race became a case for “Survival of the Fittest.”
A late Joker Strategy meant that the EKS Audi Sport driver would come home in fourth place.
After finishing third overall at the World RX of Spain, Bakkerud lies in second place in the Drivers championship, nine points behind Kristoffersson. The 2018 FIA World Rallycross Championship now heads to Mettet for the 2018 World RX of Belgium on May 12-13.
