Baumanis hints at home soil Euro RX return

Euro RX Super1600 (now Euro RX3) champion in 2015, Baumanis spent several seasons scrapping for silverware on the World Championship stage – highlighted by a pair of podium finishes in 2019 – prior to reappearing in Euro RX1 two years later behind the wheel of an ESmotorsport Škoda Fabia, popularly triumphing on home turf on his way to third spot in the title table. It is a memory that he cherishes to this day.

“Winning in Rīga in 2021 was incredibly special,” the Mārupe native reflects. “To do it in front of the Latvian fans added an emotional weight you don’t often get in motorsport. I’d say it’s right up there with the most meaningful victories of my career, not just because of the result, but because of what it represented – hard work paying off in the most personal setting possible. It’s a weekend I’ll always remember with a lot of pride – the memory of a lifetime.”

A picture in his garage transports Baumanis back to that weekend on a regular basis, and his swansong in the European Championship – for the time being, at least – similarly saw him ascend the top step of the rostrum as he prevailed at Germany’s Estering in the summer of 2023, when he was the only driver in the fiercely-disputed Euro RX1 field to win more than a single round in his RX Team Latvia-run Peugeot 208. 

That secured the 33-year-old the runner-up spot in the standings to Anton Marklund for the second consecutive campaign, missing out on the coveted crown by a slender six points. While explaining that his diary does not allow for a full-time racing commitment in 2026, he admits to being tempted by a one-off outing in front of his adoring public...

“I’m really pleased to see Rīga back on the Euro RX calendar,” Baumanis enthused, as the historic Biķernieki track prepares to welcome the dual-surface discipline’s top-flight for the first time in five years. “It’s a circuit that has always produced great racing, and the atmosphere there is something special.

“Latvia has passionate fans who truly understand and support the sport, so it feels right for Rīga to be part of the championship again – it’s good not just for local supporters, but for the series as a whole. 

“The competitive fire has never really gone away, and you can never say never in motorsport. Rallycross is still very close to my heart, and I feel that Euro RX in Rīga will be what I will do on the racing side this year. I can’t enter a full season at the moment due to responsibilities that I have taken on for 2026. Maybe in 2027, but first, I want to see how the sport evolves.

“Rallycross is at an interesting crossroads right now. It has huge potential – the racing is close, the format is exciting and it’s very accessible for fans – but it’s important that the direction and rules remain clear and sustainable. Stability, strong promotion and a long-term vision for teams and drivers will be key. If those elements are handled well, I’m confident we will see the good times roll once again...”