Kristoffersson Sets the Standard as World RX Debuts at KymiRing

The brand-new circuit provided an equal test for newcomers and veterans alike, with no prior data to lean on and thousands of Finnish fans packing in to see history made. What they got was classic World RX action: bold launches, fine margins, and more than a little chaos.

After two of four Qualifying Heats, reigning champion Kristoffersson again proved why he’s the benchmark of the sport. His pace was relentless across both sessions, his race times separated by just fractions of a second as he delivered a metronomic display in the KMS Volkswagen Polo RX1e.

Grönholm, however, made sure the Swede didn’t have it all his own way. Fired up on home soil, the Finn snatched the lead in Q1 with a lightning launch, beating Kristoffersson into Turn 1. But a tactical early joker from the reigning champion brought him back into contention, and lap by lap he reeled Grönholm in. At the merge Kristoffersson emerged just half a second ahead, securing victory and maximum qualifying points.

The pair clashed again in Q2, this time with added spice from Ole Christian Veiby. A squeeze into Turn 1 saw Grönholm tagged, opening the door for Kristoffersson to hit the front. Despite trading tenths all race long, Grönholm was forced to settle for second in both the heat and the standings.

Kevin Hansen ended the day in third. After being boxed in behind Veiby in Q1 following contact at the first corner, Hansen fought back strongly in Q2. In a tactical duel against brother Timmy and CE Dealer Team rival Klara Andersson, the Hansen World RX driver picked his joker to perfection, escaping the fight and taking the heat win.

For Veiby, fresh off his storming run to second overall in Hungary, fortune was less kind in Finland. Though he won his opening heat, his day unravelled in Q2 after contact with Grönholm at Turn 1 dropped him back. A desperate late joker strategy brought him out door-to-door with Juha Rytkönen, the pair sensationally crossing the line with identical times down to the thousandth of a second – a near-impossible feat in rallycross that left the crowd stunned. Veiby ends the day fourth overall.

Rytkönen himself delivered fireworks for the Finnish faithful. His sustainably fuelled ICE-powered Hyundai blasted off the line in Q1, muscling past Andersson to take third. In Q2 he went even bigger, throwing his car around the outside into Turn 1 in a move that had the grandstands on their feet. He just missed out on stealing the lead, skimming through the gravel and eventually finishing fourth in the race – but with his day’s work good enough to claim fifth overall.

Behind the frontrunners, Timmy Hansen and Klara Andersson both endured a difficult opening day, struggling to find rhythm on the KymiRing’s undulating surface. They sit sixth and seventh respectively, but both will be aiming to bounce back when the action resumes tomorrow.

There are two more Qualifying Heats to come on Sunday morning, which will decide the order for the semi-finals. With little to separate the top five and the brand-new Finnish track continuing to throw up surprises, the fight for grid positions in the final is wide open.

You can re-watch all of today’s action on the FIA World Rallycross Championship YouTube Channel, and as ever, all of tomorrow’s racing will be streamed there live and free.

Click here to view the provisional qualifying classification for the World RX of Finland.

Click here to schedule tomorrow’s action live and free on the FIA World Rallycross Championship YouTube Channel.