Strong pace and final for Kristoffersson at Sweden’s World RX

Johan Kristoffersson finished top of the order after Q2 and remained first at the Intermediate Classification after Q4 to secure 16 championships points and a front row start for the first semi-final, from where he made it onto the second row for the final. A great start in the final was followed by a first lap joker for Johan, who looked certain to finish on the podium at the team’s home event, only to suffer a puncture on the front and the rear with two laps remaining. The Swede finished fifth.

“We came here with some new updates and we proved all through the event that we have been quick in wet, dry and tricky conditions. I have to say that we really had the pace this weekend again, like we did in the first four events of the season,” said Johan. “We’ve found a lot of speed since Hell, which is great. It’s so really boring that we got the puncture in the final. I was in a very good position to get a podium. We lost a bit on lap one but we caught it back and on lap four I was right on Andreas Bakkerud’s bumper, but I landed from the jump at turn two and got a puncture. That’s life. We have to look forward, we’ve had great pace this weekend.”

Volkswagen RX Sweden Team Principal Michael Schneider is pleased with the progress made by the team in recent weeks. “We have worked a lot between Norway and here. We are back in the game,” he said. “Johan proved by winning the Intermediate Classification that we can be on the top.”

The seventh round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship takes place at Trois-Rivieres, Canada (August 6 – 7).