RX Heads to Hungary for mid-season showdown

The 2025 FIA World Rallycross Championship is speeding towards its midway point, with Round 3 of the season coming just two weeks after a wet and wild ride in Sweden where reigning champion Johan Kristoffersson announced his title defence with an emphatic win.

Conditions look set to be a stark contrast this weekend, with the hot Hungarian summer bearing down on the stars and cars of the ultimate mixed-surface competition. The Nyirád Racing Centre is located in the southeast of the country, with a track that winds its way around a former quarry, creating a natural amphitheatre and spectacular viewing for the spectators that line the course.

With a victory and a second place to his name, Niclas Grönholm leads the drivers’ standings by a slender six points, with Kristoffersson in second, and Timmy Hansen in third having been on the podium at both of the first two events.

Behind the top trio, Ole Christian Veiby, representing KMS, will look to bounce back after a challenging weekend in Höljes, while Kevin Hansen, fresh off what many are calling the "save of the century" in Höljes, will be aiming to turn that show-stopping moment into real momentum.

Flying the flag for sustainably fuelled internal combustion in a field of EV rivals are Juha Rytkönen, who impressed in Sweden with strong Qualifying and Semi-Final performances, and reigning FIA European Rallycross Champion Patrick O’Donovan, who completes the World RX line-up hoping the track’s abrasive conditions will give his ICE-powered machine an edge.

Finally Klara Andersson returns to the red clay aiming to replicate her 2024 podium finish.

As with every round this season, the World RX stars will be supported with stellar action in the FIA European Rallycross Championship – with the fire-breathing supercars of EuroRX1 and the exciting young talents of EuroRX3 both on the bill once again in Hungary.

A total of 33 cars will battle it out across the three premier categories: 8 World RX, 13 Euro RX1, and 12 Euro RX3 entries.

All of the racing action will be streamed live and free on the World RX YouTube Channel.

Track stats

Circuit name: Nyirád Racing Centre

Flying Lap: 1220m

Joker Lap: 1290m

Gravel/Tarmac %: 48/52

2024 winners: Niclas Grönholm / Johan Kristoffersson

The FIA said…

James Nixon, FIA World Rallycross Championship Sporting Manager:

“The first two events of the 2025 season have been really spectacular – the action we saw in Sweden was really rallycross at its best, and the engagement from the spectators and the fans watching online was fantastic. And now we’re heading to another of rallycross’ true heartlands.

“The Nyirád circuit in the heart of Hungary has a unique character that will mark the mid-way point in the campaign. The red dust, the unique amphitheatre created by the quarry, the passion of the fans, it all makes for an amazing atmosphere. The ASN and local organiser here are also super-passionate which translates to an event that is really well put together.

“Every track that the FIA World Rallycross Championship visits brings its own unique challenges – so far this year we’ve had an all-new layout for the drivers to master in Portugal, extremes of wet weather in Sweden, and here in Hungary, as we’ve seen in the past, Turn 1 tends to deliver some action!”

Fast Facts

Hometown heroes: One of the unique elements of the FIA European Rallycross Championship is that with each new weekend, the entry list features an exciting mix of local racing talents coming to do battle with the full-season campaigners. Hungary undoubtedly has a strong talent pool when it comes to the discipline, and there are no fewer than 11 local drivers taking to the track across EuroRX1 and EuroRX3. That surely makes the chances of a popular hometown podium very likely indeed…

21^st Century Gladiators: Not many motor sport venues can boast the same spectacular viewing for trackside fans as Nyirád Racing Centre. Draped around a former bauxite quarry, the unique location not only throws up a characteristic red dust when the rallycross cars blast over the surface, but the natural amphitheatre shape gives the spectators some of the best views of motor sport action anywhere in the world.

Betting on Red: Nicknamed ‘The Red Cauldron’ due to its distinctive surface of asphalt, gravel and red clay, this track has a history stretching back to the 1980s, has hosted FIA Rallycross events since 2006 and has become an iconic rallycross circuit of Central Europe. 

On a Knife Edge: With tight competition at the top of the World RX standings, Johan Kristoffersson is just six points behind Niclas Grönholm heading into Hungary. If he wins the final and Grönholm finishes fourth or lower, Kristoffersson will take the championship lead heading into Round 4 in Finland. 

Return to the World Stage: This will be the second time the FIA World Rallycross Championship has raced at Nyirád. World RX made its first trip to the ‘Red Cauldron’ in 2024 with a double-header of races that saw two different drivers take to the top step. Niclas Grönholm grabbed victory in the first contest, while Johan Kristoffersson, who had contact in that race that dropped him out of contention, made amends with an emphatic victory at the second attempt.