The clash between Johan Kristoffersson and Mattias Ekström was at full intensity in the first FIA World Rallycross Championship event of 2020 at Höljes, and the sparks flying on Saturday (22) were carried on Sunday (23), though Ekström was able to come out on top with his KYB Team JC Audi S1 EKS RX.
Johan Kristoffersson and Mattias Ekström demonstrated from the Race 1 in Q1 that the day will be focused on both of them, going so fast that they outpaced the field with a good margin in Q1, and this repeated in Q2 with Robin Larsson coming a bit closer. With Ekström’s usual tactics not working as intended in Q3, Kristoffersson just had to push harder to dominate and be the top qualifier, while Ekström still managed to be second and Andreas Bakkerud revived to third, overcoming his awful Saturday to be almost on par with the top-two and Larsson, who was fourth.
Höljes RX 2 - Qualifying intermediate results
Semifinal 1 had Kristoffersson is his usual fast start to take the lead while Bakkerud and Timmy Hansen went for an early Joker, but it’s not like Kristoffersson was alone in front, as the rest of the pack was in the chase.
While the field was in a stalemate, Joker Lap strategy would count for those in front, and Kristoffersson and Kevin Hansen justified their advantage to finish first and second, while Bakkerud had to withstand a rough attack from Timmy Hansen as well pressure from Timur Timerzyanov to stay in third place and qualify for the Final.
KYB Team JC was monopolizing the front row in the second Semifinal, and holding the places was priority at the start, with Robin Larsson leading and Ekström in second. At one point of the race it didn’t look like the late Joker strategy would work, but this actually kept the KYB Team JC domination unharmed, with Larsson winning and Ekström in second, while Timo Scheider barely outpacing Krisztián Szábo to conquer third place in the final lap.
Höljes RX 2 - Semifinal results
The Final had Ekström and Kristoffersson lined side by side while Larsson was behind for the rescue, and the KYB Team JC drivers decided to go physical on the VW BAUHAUS Polo after a first corner fight, and although this slowed down Kristoffersson’s progress, it didn’t take him out of the lead, and his Joker Lap would play an important part in the fight for the lead.
Although not banging doors, Kristoffersson and Ekström were in a fast lap battle exchanging blows, and the extra pace played in favor of Ekström, overtaking Kristoffersson in the final lap and resisting pressure to win in sensational fashion.
Immediately after the race Kristoffersson was stripped of his second place due to excessive contact with Larsson, with the second place going to Kevin Hansen, while he still kept a podium place by staying in third.
Kristoffersson leads the standings with 56 points against 54 from Ekström and 36 from Larsson, but its needs to be taken into account that Ekström won’t be driving full time, as he mentioned in post-race interview that anything after the Kouvola RX would be uncertain.
KYB Team JC leads the teams table with 90 points against 64 from Team Hansen and 43 from GRX TANECO. As Johan Kristoffersson is in a single car team, he doesn’t score team points, like it was with Petter Solberg in the first World RX years.
World RX action returns next week, on 29th and 30th August, with another double header and the return of the Kouvola RX after featuring in the debut World RX season in 2014.
PHOTO: EKS
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