Andreas Bakkerud commits to 2026 FIA European Rallycross campaign

It is the news fans have been waiting for since 2023. Almost three years on from his most recent appearance in the series, Andreas Bakkerud will rejoin the FIA European Rallycross Championship field for a full-season campaign in 2026.

The last time Bakkerud contested an international event in the discipline was at Höljes’ ‘Magic Weekend’ in Sweden two-and-a-half years ago. Prior to that, the popular Norwegian had clinched no fewer than three European Championship crowns – two in the Super1600 category and one in Euro RX1 – and so very nearly added the FIA World Rallycross Championship trophy to his career CV in 2019, narrowly missing out in a nail-biting finale against Timmy Hansen in South Africa.

His performances and results – and in particular, his showmanship and personality – have made Bakkerud a fan-favourite all around the globe. Since his latest Euro RX success in 2021, the Bergen native has gone on to excel in Nitrocross in the USA and Extreme E, winning the very last event in the latter in Saudi Arabia alongside Catie Munnings.

This year, he has dovetailed a title tilt in the Norwegian Rallycross Championship – competing in a self-built Ford Puma run by his own, newly-established Bergen Motorsport Evolution outfit – with FIA World Rallycross Championship commentating duties alongside Andrew Coley, but the fire to be back on the grid himself has never dimmed. Thanks to Jan Olav Jørgensen – CEO and owner of family-owned holding company Tertnes Holding – he now has his chance.

“I’ve been working to get Tertnes Holding to join me on my motorsport journey for 15 years,” Bakkerud joked after announcing his new programme, “and this year, Jan Olav made a massive investment in my career by sponsoring me in the Norwegian Championship.

“After we hosted a big event with Tertnes Holding in Bergen for close to 200 employees, he asked me what my next step was. I told him my dream was to return to the Championship and fight for another title, and he said, ‘let’s go and buy a car!’”

That car will be the same Ford Fiesta with which Anton Marklund dominated the Euro RX1 field in 2023 and in which Lukas Andersson finished runner-up at Höljes earlier this year on his series debut. Built and developed by rallying powerhouse M-Sport, it is a potent package, and Bakkerud will be bolstered by the support of SET Promotion, the Finnish squad with whom he previously sped to glory in Super1600.

“SET Promotion was the first team that gave me a proper chance to race in a professional environment,” reflected the seven-time World RX event-winner. “I joined them for two rounds at the end of 2010 in Poland and the Czech Republic. I won the second of them and then won the title in 2011 and 2012, which put me in a great position going forward.

“I have maintained a good relationship with [SET Team Principal] Jussi Pinomäki ever since, and he’s always been my number one choice to work with. He also ran the Olsbergs MSE World Championship team in 2014-15 that I was a part of, and it’s really cool that our paths have now crossed once more. I know the whole crew, and Tommi Heikkilä – who was my number one mechanic in 2011-12 – will fill the same role again. It’ll be awesome to get the band back together!

“It’s been less than a year since we formed Bergen Motorsport Evolution, which has generated a lot of enthusiasm for the sport back home. One thing led to another, and it’s amazing that we’ve already gathered enough momentum to go international again! I’m very proud to represent Bergen and Norway and to have this kind of support behind me, and while the next step will clearly be a big one, I truly feel we’re ready for it.

“I’ve always wanted to come back to the European Championship; it just hasn’t been the right opportunity to fit my schedule until now. My dream is clearly to win the World Championship after losing out to Timmy [Hansen] in 2019, so I would definitely like to get another crack at it and this is the first step towards that goal. 2028 is already on our radar, but before that, we want to claim the European title with our own team...”

FIA Rallycross Sporting Manager, James Nixon said: “We are delighted to see Andreas Bakkerud return to the FIA European Rallycross Championship for the 2026 season. Andreas has an outstanding record in rallycross, from his Super1600 titles to his Euro RX1 crown. He is one of the most recognisable and engaging competitors in the paddock, and his personality has always been a major part of why fans connect with him so strongly.

“While we have enjoyed having him in the commentary booth for 2025, both the fans and I will be pleased to welcome him back on track next season. And I’m sure he will still find time to visit Andrew Coley in the commentary booth when he isn’t busy fighting for results.

“Seeing a driver of Andreas’ calibre return is a strong endorsement of our long-term direction for the FIA European Rallycross Championship. We are committed to creating a more accessible and sustainable structure that enables both established names and emerging talents to join the Championship. With Andreas back on the grid, I have no doubt he will face intense competition at the front as we head into 2026.”