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world-rx-–-mattias-ekstrom-storms-to-riga-world-rx-clutch

Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom secured his 2d clutch of the 2020 season at the Neste World RX of Riga-Latvia, round six of the FIA World Rallycross Championship supplied by Monster Vitality (20 September).

 

Along with the 12th victory of his occupation, carried out by main all 12 laps of the semi-final and final on Sunday afternoon at the Bikerneiki Sport Advanced, Ekstrom took a maximum parts haul in Riga to cease the outlet to World RX Drivers’ Championship leader Johan Kristoffersson, from Sweden.

 

The KYB Crew JC crew made setup changes in a single day to the Audi S1 Supercars of Ekstrom and Swedish crew mate Robin Larsson and Ekstrom managed the sixth round of the season in qualifying, the semi-finals and the final.

 

For the first time in 2020 Kristoffersson didn’t clutch a qualifying a session. The best time Ekstrom used to be headed for the period of the day used to be by crew mate Larsson in Q3. Enjoy Ekstrom and Larsson, the Kristoffersson Motorsport crew worked troublesome on the tyre technique to get the best Cooper Tires accessible for the semi-finals and final, and the Drivers’ Championship leader accomplished 2d within the final. Larsson used to be third, his first podium of the season, to relieve KYB Crew JC lengthen its lead within the World RX Teams’ Championship standings.

 

Crew Hansen’s Timmy Hansen (Peugeot 208) from Sweden, GRX Taneco’s Niclas Gronholm (Hyundai i20), from Finland and Crew Hansen’s Kevin Hansen (Peugeot 208), from Sweden completed the categorised finishers within the Riga-Latvia final.

 

“I’m able to’t reveal passable about our begins [today] because that used to be a key to the success. Robin accomplished 2d within the semi-final which used to be very elegant and traumatic parts for the crew after which the final battle with Johan, this form of cease skedaddle from the delivery into the first nook and all the laps he used to be on my bumper, but I did no errors and within the kill accomplished in entrance. It felt supreme and possibly plan to be one of many perfect victories. The clutch in Holjes used to be no doubt tremendous, but by hook or by crook at Holjes it felt admire all people used to be announcing the final used to be gargantuan, but this time all the day used to be gargantuan. I would rate this one better,” mentioned winner Ekstrom.

 

Kristoffersson used to be delighted with his parts get from round six. “The fight used to be all the technique to the kill, but no doubt the biggest chance for victory this day used to be in Q1. When I didn’t address to clutch the delivery there, in Q2 I didn’t address to beat Mattias again after which I knew he already had a fair correct tyre technique then for Q3. I was on the aid foot from there on. We were very aggressive on the tyres within the semi-final so I had four original tyres for the final the same as Mattias, but I was on the skin for flip one and thereafter I fair correct needed to use him, saving as considerable tyres as I could well perchance possibly for five laps before the joker, but there used to be somewhat of too considerable argy-bargy with Gronholm at the joker merge and all by the lap, so I couldn’t no doubt plan back Mattias at the final nook. However, it’s tranquil very elegant parts,” mentioned Kristoffersson.

Larsson used to be contented to flip hasty tempo into a podium kill. “I was no doubt disenchanted with a minute mistake I made in Q2 and we needed to fight aid in Q3. I knew that we couldn’t fight for the clutch when we outmoded the original tyres in Q3, because you’ll need the original tyres so considerable here for the final. I’m extra relieved than delighted, in particular for me at this display screen. I’ve never been hasty here, I’ve struggled plenty. We’ve been within the combo, Johan has been a minute bit better than us overall. I’m no doubt delighted for the double podium for the crew,” mentioned Larsson.

 

GCK Bilstein’s Anton Marklund (Renault Megane) accomplished fourth in semi-final two and used to be categorised seventh overall when ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport’s Timo Scheider (Seat Ibiza), from Germany, used to be disqualified after the skedaddle for contact on lap six with Monster Vitality GCK RX Cartel’s Andreas Bakkerud (Renault Megane), from Norway, which eradicated Bakkerud from the skedaddle. Bakkerud visited scientific institution in Riga as a precaution but used to be released a couple of hours later. Bakkerud’s teammate, Mountainous Britain’s Liam Doran, accomplished the semi-final facet-by-facet facet with Marklund.

 

As first reserve for the final, Kevin Hansen benefitted from Scheider’s disqualification. Hansen accomplished fourth in semi-final one, in entrance of GRX Taneco’s Timur Timerzyanov and GRX SET’s Krisztian Szabo, from Hungary, every racing Hyundai i20s. Latvia’s Reinis Nitiss, used to be categorised 13th at his home circuit riding Esmotorsport’s Skoda Fabia. Germany’s Rene Muennich (Seat Ibiza) used to be 14th, sooner than Unkorrupted crew mates Guerlain Chicherit (Renault Clio) and Rokas Baciuska (Renault Clio), from France and Lithuania respectively in 15th and 16th. Ferratum Crew’s Jani Paasonen (Ford Fiesta), from Finland, used to be 17th.

 

France’s Cyril Raymond won the 2d round of the Projekt E championship – the first ever global electric rallycross series – in a designate original Citroen C3 ERX. He beat Latvia’s Janis Baumanis (Ford Fiesta ERX) to victory within the final after shopping and selling times with the used World RX podium-finisher for the period of the weekend. In the series for vehicles fitted with the three motor, 450kW electric powertrains developed by Projekt E technical accomplice STARD,  Norway’s Svein-Bjarte Holten (Ford Fiesta) completed the rostrum. Mountainous Britain’s Natalie Barratt (Ford Fiesta) used to be fourth and moved into the series parts lead.

 

Sweden’s Oliver Eriksson (Ford Fiesta) claimed a tricky-fought victory in round two of the FIA European Rallycross Championship for Supercar. He took pole quandary for the final when he won semi-final two and top qualifier, France’s Jean-Baptiste Dubourg (Peugeot 208), accomplished 2d in semi-final one to Norway’s Sondre Evjen (Volkswagen Polo). In the final, Eriksson led for all six laps, Evjen used to be 2d and Dubourg third. Dubourg’s brother and DA Racing crew mate Andrea Dubourg (Peugeot 208) used to be fourth. Norway’s Ben-Philip Gundersen (Audi S1) and Hungary’s Tamas Karai (Audi S1) completed the final classification.

 

Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of Motorsports Events at IMG, concluded: “Congratulations to Mattias, Robin and all the KYB Crew JC crew for a fair correct performance this day, and the clutch and double podium. Also to Johan for ending 2d. We had one more fair correct day of action for these gazing all over the realm and the followers at the venue this day. It’s been an intense first month of World RX 2020 with six rounds, and now all people has a couple of weeks off sooner than our subsequent double header at Catalunya-Barcelona in October.”


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