Behind the wheel of KMS – HORSE Powertrain’s combustion-powered Volkswagen
Polo KMS 601 RX, Veiby survived a wild joker lap in heat one on the opening day
to pip Timmy Hansen to second place, but a sluggish getaway in heat two
restricted him to fifth position – and sixth in the intermediate ranking.
The Norwegian followed team-mate Johan Kristoffersson home in a
Kristoffersson Motorsport one-two-three in the semi-final, prior to getting
caught up in a battle between the two Hansen brothers in the final, ultimately
winding up fifth.
In Sunday’s wet conditions, Veiby took the chequered flag a distant second
to Kristoffersson in heat one, but could manage no better than fourth in heat
two after twice clashing with Timmy Hansen.
The rain intensified ahead of the semi-finals, and Veiby had to fight back
from another poor start and an ‘off’ entering the Velodrome section on the
first lap to finish second – albeit more than 12 seconds behind race-winner
Kristoffersson.
In the final, a stall then left the 28-year-old Kongsvinger native some
way adrift of the pack, but showing prodigious pace, he dug deep to overturn
the deficit and overhaul three of his rivals on his way to third place overall –
his eighth visit to the rostrum in rallycross’ top-flight.
“Of course I had hoped for more and I feel like we deserved more, but it
is what it is,” a philosophical Veiby reflected. “I lost a lot at the starts
and the conditions were extremely difficult on the Sunday – I don’t think
I’ve ever driven in so much rain. It was so messy and so slippery and we were
just aquaplaning everywhere.
“I knew it would be hard in the final after bogging down, but it was
just a matter of re-starting the engine and going for it and somehow – I don’t
know how – we managed to climb back to third. It was a long way to the podium –
I really didn’t think that would happen when everyone else was in Turn One and
I was still sat by myself on the grid! It was good to bring home some important
points, but the launches didn’t work at all, so we have to find something there...”
Greece
Poland
Portugal