30/08/2026
KMS WILL BE BACK FOR THE FINAL
It was a tough weekend for Kristoffersson Motorsport in Lohéac. Johan Kristoffersson finished fourth, while it ended for Ole Christian Veiby already in the quarter-finals.
"We are still struggling with the launches, but we will turn this around for the final", says team CEO Tommy Kristoffersson.
However, it was not all gloom when the fifth rallycross weekend was completed in the French motor metropolis. After mixed success in the first three qualifying rounds, Johan Kristoffersson put in a top performance in Q4, where he was clearly the fastest and thus finished top qualifier.
"It was good, controlled heats and I tried to keep myself out of trouble without stressing."
In the quarter-finals, he started on the front row with team mate Veiby next to him. Johan got away straight away and won comfortably, while Ole Christian, with a slightly worse launch, was forced into a bumpy ride and had to settle for fifth place, which was not enough to go through.
A big disappointment for the third in the championship ahead of the weekend.
"First semi-final I've missed in probably over ten years, but if you're last out, it's a long way up", says Ole Christian.
In the semi-final, Johan had pole position again, but the weekend's surprise, home favourite Fabien Pailler, took the start and then had enough speed to keep the eight-time world champion behind him.
"He had good speed and I made a mistake. It sometimes happens when you fall behind and get pressured."
Kristoffersson finished second and thus a place on the second row in the final. From that position he found himself in a tight spot and came out fourth. On a track where overtaking opportunities are very few, that was also the final result.
"I lost a car length in the start there as well and then I was right on the back of Juha Rytkönen the whole way without getting past", says Johan.
"The Euro RX regulations offer different opportunities in the launches than we are used to in the World RX. That code remains to be found", says Tommy Kristoffersson.
Fabien Pailler took his first win of the season in front of an enthusiastic home crowd, ahead of Andreas Bakkerud. The latter thus took over the lead in the Euro RX standings, one point ahead of Kristoffersson, 158 to 157. It opens for a fantastic end to the season in Lousada, Portugal, where a Saturday-Sunday double header awaits.
"We will put on a show. Many heats remain. We have been in precarious situations before, but have always come back and never left a final as a loser", says Tommy Kristoffersson.
"It will be exciting in Lousada", notes Johan.
Ole Christian Veiby, despite the miscalculation over the weekend, remains in third place, but is now overshadowed by Juha Rytkönen, one point behind, 119 against 118.
FIA Rallycross Championships
