FIA World Rallycross

Kristoffersson fights back for win number six in Canada

2 Mins read
Johan Kristoffersson. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX

Johan Kristoffersson took win number six of the 2018 FIA World Rallycross Championship on Sunday, after finishing Saturday in ninth place overall with work to do.

The 2018 World RX of Canada was another exciting spectacle of this years season, with every driver pushing the limits of the Trois-Rivieres street circuit as they looked to capitalise on the 2017 World RX Champion’s first day misfortune. It was Sebastien Loeb who looked the man most likely to take a second win of the year however his fortunes swapped in Sunday.

Loeb was fastest on Saturday, but lost out on Sunday when it mattered. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX

Several drivers were caught out by the walls in the final two corners of the circuit, including Guerlain Chicherit and Robin Larsson, however a mistake there cost Loeb the Top Qualifier spot.

This wasn’t your typical Kristoffersson walkover. Far from it in fact. With Team Peugeot Total and EKS Audi Sport testing over the summer break, the competition had closed the gap on PSRX Volkswagen Sweden and Canada was a glimpse of things to come.

With Kristoffersson starting on pole for the Supercar Final, it was Timmy Hansen who looked most capable of stopping the Volkswagen driver, however contact with the tyre barrier on the outside of the Joker section on the first lap put paid to any challenge.

A first lap joker for Solberg didn’t work out as the Norwegian driver finished in fifth place overall. Credit: IMG / FIA World RX

Kristoffersson held off the charge of both the Peugeot’s and the Audi of Mattias Ekstrom. The 2016 World RX Champion was never more than a second away as he kept up the pace, but it was Hansen who stayed with Kristoffersson and never let the pressure up.

Johan Kristoffersson duly took win number six of the season as Timmy Hansen finished under a second behind him with Sebastien Loeb completing the podium. Ekstrom finished in fourth place ahead of rival Petter Solberg.

Baumanis was fastest off the line in his first Supercar Final of the year. Credit: Tom Banks Photography

Janis Baumanis made his first Supercar Final of the season in the Team STARD Ford Fiesta and took away the Monster Energy Supercharge award for having the fastest reaction off the line.

Kristoffersson now has a fifty five point lead over both Loeb and Hansen who are tied for second place as one point further back are both Solberg and Andreas Bakkerud, tied for third. Ekstrom is five points away in sixth place and well in the hunt.

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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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