The FIA World Rallycross Championship heads south to Montalegre in Portugal this weekend (7-8 September), as the track that hosted the very first World RX event ten years ago prepares to stage the fourth intriguing instalment in the series’ new ‘Battle of Technologies’.
Inaugurated in 1999 – making this year its 25th anniversary – the Circuito Internacional de Montalegre’s undulating layout and unpredictable weather have generated countless crowd-pleasing moments.
Located high up in the Vila Real mountains – some 1,000m above sea level – its power-sapping altitude is a key consideration. Factor in the longest main straight on the calendar, and conventional wisdom says the pendulum could swing in favour of the electric brigade in Portugal, following four triumphs out of six for sustainably-fuelled combustion cars so far in 2024.
All of those ICE successes have been claimed by Johan Kristoffersson, who will travel to Montalegre – where he is four times a previous winner – with a commanding 39-point advantage at the summit of the standings in his quest to clinch an extraordinary seventh career crown at the highest level. The Swede, of course, has never held much regard for conventional wisdom, and he will be bidding to overturn the odds once again this weekend.
Kristoffersson’s closest challenger is his KMS – HORSE Powertrain team-mate Ole Christian Veiby, who arrives off the back of five consecutive podium finishes at the international pinnacle of the sport – but still in search of his breakthrough victory.
Hansen brothers Kevin and Timmy are in hot pursuit, separated by just one point in third and fourth positions respectively. Buoyed by the latter’s first win in almost two years last time out at Mettet, Hansen World RX Team believes the forthcoming event represents its best chance of the season to-date, with its pair of electric Peugeot 208 RX1e cars expected to be among the pace-setters in Portugal.
Much the same applies to fellow electric protagonist CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment. Kristoffersson aside, Niclas Grönholm is the only current driver to have won at the track – in both 2021 and 2022 – while it was at Montalegre that Klara Andersson made history two years ago as the first female ever to reach the rostrum in top-flight international rallycross.
All of the non-stop thrills will be broadcast live on the pioneering Rally.TV platform.
For more information about the event, including the weekend timetable and entry lists for all four categories, see here. Tickets can be purchased either in advance or on the gate.
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