The World Rallycross Championship is starting afresh. A new promoter in the FIA, a new calendar, a change of season opener. Change is afoot.
One thing staying the same is the diversity of powertrains. Last year a Battle of Technologies concept was introduced, pitting chassis equipped with electric powertrains directly against their petrol-powered brethren.
In an outcome that surprised no-one, Johan Kristoffersson went on a dominant run to clinch his seventh career World RX title – and his fifth in a row. But across the 12 rounds, only three were won by electric cars last season: brothers Timmy and Kevin Hansen scored one win apiece for their eponymous team, while Niclas Grönholm took the PWR RX1e to top spot in Hungary last year.
Kristoffersson being dominant is hardly surprising regardless of powertrain – but how much of that was down to the driver, and how much to the car?
To make sure Kristoffersson’s brilliance is through driving alone, and not any perceived advantage one car may have over the other, the FIA enlisted another rallycross star. Andreas Bakkerud – a seven-time winner in World RX and 2019 championship runner-up – joined the regulars at Lousada earlier this week for pre-event testing.
Bakkerud hopped into a neutral car that won’t be competing during the season and set benchmark laps. Then came the unusual part: he took turns at the wheel of every car registered to compete. Representing the EVs, Bakkerud piloted the Peugeot 208 RX1e and PWR’s machine, then gave the KMS-built petrol Polo and the ICE-spec Hyundais and Peugeots a whirl.
Multiple WRX event winner Andreas Bakkerud has taken role of benchmark driver in EoT standardization process
With the data collected from Bakkerud’s running, telemetry is now in the hands of the FIA to adjust the weight ballast applied to each car and other technical adjustments to ensure performance parity across all cars.
“The EOT process has delivered valuable insights,” said Emilia Abel, FIA road sport director. “We’ll implement any necessary changes to guarantee fair racing across all powertrains.”
The drivers won’t have to wait long to find out if their machines will need to be tweaked; the World RX season begins next week, with the main event happening on Sunday June 1.
What else is new?
Plenty of other changes are afoot in World RX for 2025 now that series promotion has changed hands from the Red Bull and KW 25-owned RX Promoter to the FIA.
The heat system has reverted to its pre-2022 setup. The fastest times in heat races determine heat results, the first heat start order will be determined by a random draw and subsequent heat race lineups are determined by the result of the prior heat.
Hansen brothers return in electric-powered Peugeots
Euro RX1 cars will now share the track with their World RX counterparts during heat races, though will continue to be scored separately in their own classification. Euro RX1 entrants are also allowed to make two wildcard entries to World RX per year, so long as their car meets World RX technical regulations.
Portugal’s round of the season has shifted from Montalegre in September to Lousada next week, which has also been reprofiled with new gravel sections and banked corners. The Belgian round in Mettet has been dropped and replaced with a Finnish round at KymiRing, only 12 miles away from the Tykkimäki circuit which previously hosted World RX. A new season finale is to be announced later.
Who’s competing?
The three entrants which contested last year’s teams’ championship are all back with the same cars and driver lineups. Kristoffersson and Veiby will pilot the combustion-powered Volkswagen Polo KMS 601 RXs once more, CE Dealer Team runs Grönholm and Klara Andersson in the PWR RX1e, and the Hansen brothers run with their family team in the electric Peugeot 208s.
GCK has entered a petrol-powered 208 for Anthony Pelfrène, with Patrick Donovan driving for his family team, Team RX Racing. Juha Rytkönen, who took a shock win at last year’s season finale, also returns with a PGRX-run Hyundai.
