World RX – four wins out of four for Johan Kristoffersson
Johan Kristoffersson made it four wins out of four rounds in the 2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship, although it was far from easy as the Volkswagen RX1e driver had to work hard to maintain his 100% winning record in the first part of the World RX of Portugal double header weekend.
In the picturesque mountain circuit of Montalegre – the venue where Kristoffersson scored his maiden World RX victory back in 2015, and five years to the day since he clinched the first of his four drivers’ crowns – the 33-year-old Swede added a 31st career triumph to his extraordinary CV, as he led home a commanding Kristoffersson Motorsport one-two ahead of Ole Christian Veiby.
Timmy Hansen completed the podium in third on a consistent day for Hansen World RX Team – posting fastest lap in the final after pulling off a superb pass on Gustav Bergström – just in front of younger brother Kevin in the sister Peugeot 208 RX1e.
Teenage rookie Bergström continued to impress with a fifth-place finish in the third KMS car, but there was disappointment for Construction Equipment Dealer Team as both Niclas Grönholm (the winner at Montalegre last year) and Klara Andersson showed a strong turn-of-speed around the Portuguese track but missed out on the final after making contact with each other in the first semi-final.
Victory sees Kristoffersson increase his World RX lead the 26 points.
“What a day – just unbelievable,” said Kristoffersson.
“Both Ole Christian and I had to fight back, which thankfully we managed to do. I was a bit worried after getting the punctures in the progression race, and that was on my mind in the final, so I was trying to play it as safe as I could.”
The story of the day in Euro RX1was a high-speed joker merge collision between championship contenders Anton Marklund and Jānis Baumanis in heat two, which delayed the former and put the latter out on the spot. That clash elevated the increasingly impressive Enzo Ide to the summit of the overnight standings ahead of the two title protagonists and experienced campaigner Ulrik Linnemann.
Jan Černý came out in top in Euro RX3 with another impressive performance in his Škoda Citigo. Champion-elect Kobe Pauwels leads a gaggle of Audis in second, chased by the rapid Damian Litwinowicz and home hero João Ribeiro.
FINAL RESULT: WORLD RX – ROUND 4
1. Johan KRISTOFFERSSON (SWE) Kristoffersson Motorsport….5 laps
2. Ole Christian VEIBY (NOR) Kristoffersson Motorsport….+ 1.666s
3. Timmy HANSEN (SWE) Hansen World RX Team….+ 2.080s
4. Kevin HANSEN (SWE) Hansen World RX Team….+ 2.874s
5. Gustav BERGSTRÖM (SWE) Gustav Bergström….+ 6.673s