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Mundial - Autocross/Ralicross

CAMPEONATO MUNDO DE RALICROSS 2024

Quarta, 06 Novembro 2024 15:57 | Actualizado em Segunda, 10 Fevereiro 2025 05:44

Johan Kristoffersson in pole position to claim incredible seventh title
 

The FIA World Rallycross Championship is ready to race one last time in 2024, with Türkiye’s Istanbul Park Circuit set to bring down the curtain on a thrilling first season of the ‘Battle of Technologies’ this weekend (9-10 November).

Ahead of the forthcoming double-header finale, Johan Kristoffersson stands on the brink an extraordinary seventh title. This year, however, the Swede has had to face a new challenge, with the ‘Battle of Technologies’ pitting sustainably-fuelled, internal combustion-engined cars such as Kristoffersson’s directly against electric machinery – each boasting their own advantages and disadvantages.

Having triumphed in five of the opening eight rounds in 2024, Kristoffersson travels to Türkiye with his ICE Volkswagen Polo KMS 601 RX holding a commanding 46-point margin at the summit of the standings. It would take a fair degree of drama to deny the KMS - HORSE Powertrain star the coveted crown, but in rallycross, nothing can ever be taken for granted.

The Swede’s main rival – countryman Kevin Hansen – is the leader of the EV brigade and a gritty competitor who never lies down without a fight. After getting the better of Kristoffersson to tally his first win of the campaign at Montalegre, Portugal in in September, the 2023 runner-up hopes the 1.35km Istanbul Park Circuit will enable him to stretch the legs of his Hansen World RX Team Peugeot 208 RX1e once again.

One driver who is particularly hyped to be going to Istanbul is Kevin's older brother Timmy, who victored on the same track back in 2015 when the championship last visited. "I think with the differences in performance between the cars this year, around a circuit where passing is definitely possible, the ‘Battle of Technologies’ in Istanbul will be very exciting...”

Hansen went on to win that day – the Swede’s fourth career victory in the series – and like his younger sibling, he has reached the top step of the podium already this season and will be bidding to reproduce Peugeot’s 2015 success in Türkiye.

Elsewhere in the high-calibre field, Kristoffersson’s team-mate Ole Christian Veiby has been a regular front-runner in 2024, and CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment duo Niclas Grönholm and Klara Andersson are expected to be pushing for podium finishes.

To add a layer of intrigue, finally, there are three talented ‘jokers’ in the pack. Reigning European and British champion Patrick O’Donovan is fired-up to replicate the podium result he achieved on his world championship debut in Hong Kong 12 months ago, while Juha Rytkönen and recently-crowned French title-winner Steven Bossard line up for PGRX, as the latter joins rallycross’ elite for the first time.

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