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Ribeiro on the brink: Title finally beckons for experienced Audi ace
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Having come so close to clinching the coveted crown last year – ultimately missing out by the margin of just five points following a nip-and-tuck season-long duel with fellow Audi driver Nils Volland – João Ribeiro knows he has his destiny in his own hands heading into the 2025 Euro RX3 season finale in Türkiye next weekend (20-21 September).
Ribeiro has been a front-runner in the FIA European Rallycross Championship’s second-tier since 2022, and the Portuguese star – a multiple title-winner on the domestic stage – is now on the brink of adding his greatest achievement so far to his impressive career CV.
Following three wins from four rounds to-date – on home soil at Lousada and subsequently also at Nyirád and the KymiRing, missing out only at Höljes after picking up a puncture while leading his semi-final – the 42-year-old Baltar native will head to Istanbul Park sitting 24 points clear of closest rival Rytis Gurklys at the summit of the standings, with only 28 points left in play.
While the Lithuanian has been mightily impressive over the course of his maiden campaign on the international scene – reaching the final on every occasion thus far and dominating round two in Sweden – it would take a herculean effort, not to mention a fair dose of ill-fortune for Ribeiro, to deny the championship leader the laurels.
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Gurklys will also no doubt have a close eye on fending off the pursuing pack, with four other drivers within touching-distance of snatching the runner-up spoils from his grasp.
“On paper, Euro RX3 is the simplest of the three categories to call,” muses series commentator, Andrew Coley. “In theory, Ribeiro just needs to turn up and start a qualifying session to be confirmed as champion. That said, if he was to be disqualified from the whole event for a technical infringement or something similar, it would still be possible for Gurklys to do it – and Rytis has done a stellar job in his first season in the championship.
“There are always nerves in these situations, but Ribeiro’s team know what they’re doing and he’s been absolutely at the top of his game in 2025. His first win this year in front of his fans at Lousada was an absolute masterclass – going fastest in all four heats to take the Top Qualifier spot and then winning both his semi-final and the final.
“It was almost the same at Nyirád, and while it was harder work at Höljes and the KymiRing, provided he gets a clean run through the heats and suffers no major drama in Istanbul, really, he’s almost locked-in for this year’s title – and that would be a hugely popular and well-deserved result.”
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