Ole Christian Veiby victorious in Türkiye as Johan Kristoffersson seals record eighth World RX crown

The result puts Kristoffersson alongside Sébastien Ogier as an eight-time FIA World Champion, just one shy of Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena’s all-time record of nine. For KMS, the weekend marked not only their second 1-2 finish of the 2025 season but also the clinching of the Teams’ Championship - further proof of their iron grip on the discipline.

Veiby was in sparkling form from the outset. A near-faultless qualifying session saw the Norwegian top all but one of Sunday’s heats, before carrying that momentum into the semi-finals. There, he made short work of his opposition, leading from the front to secure a place in the final alongside 16-year-old wildcard Joni Turpeinen and Germany’s Nils Volland.

In the day’s second semi-final, Kristoffersson lined up on pole against a brace of CE Dealer Team challengers - Niclas Grönholm and Klara Andersson - with wildcard entries Mikka Liimatainen, Tamás Kárai and Attila Mózer completing the grid. When the lights went out, it was Liimatainen who shocked the field with a lightning getaway, briefly edging Kristoffersson before contact sent the Finn rolling his PGRX-run Hyundai i20 in dramatic fashion bringing out the red flags. On the restart it was the championship regulars who prevailed, with Kristoffersson, Grönholm and Andersson progressing to the final.

With the semi-finals complete, the stage was set for the day’s final. Ole Christian Veiby and Johan Kristoffersson occupied the front row for KMS, with 16-year-old Joni Turpeinen - the youngest World RX driver in history - and Niclas Grönholm just behind. Wildcard entrant Nils Volland lined up alongside CE Dealer Team’s Klara Andersson to round out the six-car grid.

When the lights went out, Veiby made no mistakes. Launching his Volkswagen Polo RX1e into the lead at turn one, he immediately settled into a rhythm, soaking up pressure from his more decorated team-mate. Kristoffersson stayed glued to his bumper, ready to strike if opportunity arose, but with the championship secured he resisted his usual late-race heroics, instead playing the consummate team-mate role by shadowing Veiby and covering off Grönholm. That tactical discipline sealed not only the Drivers’ crown but also the Teams’ Championship for KMS.

Behind the dominant KMS duo, the drive of the day arguably belonged to wildcard Joni Turpeinen. At just 16 years old, the Finn stunned the field with his composure, holding third place for much of the race despite relentless pressure from Volland and Grönholm. The fairy-tale podium slipped away only on the final lap, when Grönholm muscled his way past, leaving Turpeinen to settle for a hugely impressive fourth place on his World RX debut.

Andersson brought her CE Dealer Team car home in fifth after a weekend of battling the tricky, low-grip gravel surface, which blunted her pace throughout. Volland, meanwhile, rounded out the top six. The German’s race unravelled after losing ground to Grönholm in the early laps and dropping further back with a poorly timed joker that left him stranded at the tail of the field.

Ole Christian Veiby, Kristoffersson Motorsport, said: “It’s an amazing feeling. Yesterday was tricky, we had a lot of pace but the final didn’t work out. Today the car worked just brilliantly. I got some help from Johan earlier with team tactics, but it feels really good to beat him on pace in the final. I want to say a huge thank you to the team for this year and for all the other years we have been together.”

Johan Kristoffersson, Kristoffersson Motorsport, said: “I feel exceptionally proud, not just of myself but of all the guys in the team and all our partners. I tried everything today to try to help Ole Christian catch Niclas in the Drivers’ Championship. I believe he missed out by just one point, so it was a really tight battle. Ole Christian drove very well in the final, and it was really nice to push hard for six laps.”

Niclas Grönholm, CE Dealer Team, said: “I’m proud of everything we achieved this season, from the win in Portugal and our three podiums, to setting the pace in Finland and finishing second in the championship. Looking back, I feel there is not much else I could have done. The only thing I would have changed was our luck in Hungary and at home, but that is something out of my hands.”

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Click here to view the provisional classification from the World RX of Türkiye.

Click here to view the provisional championship standings.