World RX – Rallycross champions crowned on spectacular day in Germany
Nils Andersson, Anton Marklund and Damian Litwinowicz were crowned RX2e, Euro RX1 and Euro RX3 champions respectively at the end of a spectacular day of rallycross action at the World RX of Germany at Estering.
Andersson, FIA RX2e Championship leader heading into the weekend, kept his cool to clinch the crown in a final that had to be restarted following a Red Flag caused when Filip Thorèn parked his car upside-down at the exit of Turn One.
The triumphant Swede, who competes for Kristoffersson Motorsport junior outfit Team E, followed Tommi Hallman all the way to the chequered flag in the knowledge that second place was sufficient to lift the title.
Isak Sjökvist needed to beat Andersson to win the title, but the YellowSquad driver finished one place behind in third to secure the runners-up spot – while Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky’s chances of winning the title ended at the semi-final stage.
Yan Zhang made history by becoming the first female Chinese driver to race in an international rallycross event, although her RX2e debut ended with a big accident in Sunday morning’s warm up.
“Finishing on top when everyone has the same tools is great,” said Andersson.
“The biggest key to our success this year was that I had a really fast team-mate in Mikaela, meaning we could work together on finding the details and making the car quick. This title belongs to Kristoffersson Motorsport as well, because they are such a big part of it. Hopefully I can come back to defend it next year.”
Anton Marklund sped to his fourth FIA European Rallycross Championship crown by lifting the laurels in Euro RX1.
The defending champion needed to score just four points at the Buxtehude-based track to assure himself of the trophy, and he duly sealed the deal by topping the ranking at the end of the heats. The SET Promotion star then found himself in the wars in the semi-final, with contact pitching him into the barriers and out of the race at the first corner.
“We knew it would be difficult coming into this season with a ten-year-old car,” said Marklund.
“Of course we had some small upgrades to the gearbox, but apart from that it’s the same since Ken Block was driving it in 2013-14.
“It was a late decision to enter the championship again, and as the champion you are the one that everybody wants to beat, but we have a very experienced team, and we did our best to stay out of trouble. In the end our consistency and patience paid off. I’m very pleased.”
Jānis Baumanis became the only two-time race winner of 2023 in Euro RX1 by book-ending his season with victories to cement the championship runner-up spoils, chased home in the points standings by Patrick O’Donovan and Enzo Ide.
In Euro RX3, Damian Litwinowicz prevailed at the end of a bruising final that saw the Pole and title rival Espen Isaksætre – his Volland Racing team-mate – collide on more than one occasion, leaving Litwinowicz parked up on the sidelines and Isaksætre disqualified from the result.
French duo Dylan Dufas and David Bouet claimed a one-two finish for RX Evolution, after on-the-road winner Jens Hvaal was disqualified on technical grounds.