EuroRX3 cars kick-off the racing action in Lousada

With teams and drivers split into four groups to contest today’s two Qualifying Sessions, it was a thrill a minute for the fans lining this iconic rallycross circuit. The fans on the terraces had plenty to cheer, as local knowledge was clearly paying dividends out on-track.

Joao Ribeiro scored a maximum of 100 quali points with victory and the quickest overall times across both sessions, while fellow countryman Joaquim Machado sits in second having set the fourth and second fastest times across Q1 and Q2.

It would have been an all-Portuguese top three had it not been for the impressive pace of Czech driver Libor Teješ, who mirrored the results of Machado to score second and then fourth best times during Saturday’s track action.

Andre Sousa’s result locked out the top for provisional positions for Audi A1 drivers, before a brace of Skoda Fabias in the hands of Sámuel Kovács and Leonel Sampaio claimed fifth and sixth overall.

There are a plethora of different EuroRX3 cars battling out around the twists, turns and jumps of Lousada International Circuit, from Rafaela Barbosa’s Peugeot 208 to Luis Pedro Ferreira’s Renault Twingo, it’s all still to play for with two more qualifying sessions tomorrow setting things up for the semi-finals and all-important final.

Click here for the provisional qualifying results from today.