Mattias Ekstrom takes Top Qualifier for round six in Riga, Latvia.
Day two in Riga, Latvia for round six of the FIA World Rallycross Championship sees Ekstrom take Top Qualifier. The first TQ for Ekstrom this year.
Here’s what happened across the three sessions.
Qualifying 1
Race one of the day saw Ekstrom take the lead at turn one by going round the outside. Contact between Krisztian Szabo and Reinis Nitiss in the run to turn one saw the Latvian nearly in the wall, squeezed by Szabo. Ekstrom continued to record that fastest time of the session. Szabo finished second ahead of Nitiss and Guerlain Chicherit.
Larsson copied the move made by teammate Ekstrom in the first race, closing the door on Andreas Bakkerud at turn one. Larsson went on to win the race. Bakkerud took second place on the last lap from Timo Scheider in the run to the line after Scheider rejoined from the joker lap. Jani Paasonen returned after problems yesterday with a fourth.
It was a messy turn one in race three, with Liam Doran ended up being pushed wide. Niclas Gronholm took the lead and the win ahead of GRX Taneco teammate Timur Timerzyanov. Doran fisnished third and Rene Munnich fourth.
Timmy Hansen and Johan Kristoffersson got a level start with the pole man, Hansen, getting the lead going into turn one. Kristoffersson took his joker on the opening lap and was quick to catch up to the back of Kevin Hansen who was being held up by Rokas Baciuska. Kristoffersson was released once both Baciuska and Kevin Hansen took their jokers to chases down the leader. Timmy Hansen took the final win of the session ahead of Kristoffersson and Kevin Hansen. Anton Marklund was fourth ahead of Baciuska.
Ekstrom was fastest in the session ahead of Larsson, Timmy Hansen, Kristoffersson, Gronholm and Bakkerud.
Qualifying 2
The slowest drivers from Q1 were in the first race where Munnich launched into the lead and went on to take the win. Despite getting a slow start Chicherit was able to recover to second. Paasonen was third whilst Baciuska retired from the race with damage off the start.
Timerzyanov took the lead of race two with Doran close behind. Doran took his joker on the opening lap and was putting in faster lap times than the leader to close the gap. However Doran picked up another problem and slowed on the final lap to finish last. Timerzyanov took the win from Marklund and Nitiss.
Bakkerud got a slow start from pole but was able to hold position in turn one to lead race three. Scheider and Szabo took the joker lap to try and cover Kevin Hansen who went on the opening lap. Scheider held his position but Szabo came out side-by-side with Hansen, with Hansen taking the position. Bakkerud took the win from Scheider and Hansen. Szabo retired from the race with a fire on board.
Race four saw the two KYB Team JC drivers at the front with Q1 winner, Ekstrom, ahead. Kristoffersson took his joker on lap one to give himself clear air where he recorded the fastest lap of the day so far in chasing down the leader. Larsson took the joker a lap later, but a mistake saw him hit the inside tyre barrier and pick up damage to his front right wheel. Kristoffersson closed the gap to Ekstrom but wasn’t able to take the position. Gronholm finished third ahead of Timmy Hansen and Larsson.
Ekstrom was fastest once again ahead of Kristoffersson, Bakkerud, Timerzyanov, Gronholm and Timmy Hansen. Ekstrom holds the TQ going into the final qualifying session.
Qualifying 3
Despite a good start from Szabo it was Larsson who led going into turn one. Larsson, on a full set of new tyres, pulled away and took the win with the fastest time of the session. Szabo was second. Baciuska finished third whilst Paasonen retired. Paasonen’s retirement was caused by damage picked up from Baciuska running over the front of him. After an investigation, no further action was taken with neither driver solely responsible.
The race two win went to Doran who put sent it round the outside of turn one to take the lead. Munnich was second ahead of Nitiss and Chicherit.
Timmy Hansen took the lead and the win in the third race of the session. Kevin Hansen picked up second after backing out of turn one to send it round the outside of turn two to tuck in behind his brother. Third place went to Scheider ahead of Marklund.
The final race of qualifying went the way of Kristoffersson, who on his way to the win put in the fastest lap of the day. It was an even start from the five drivers. Contact for Bakkerud saw him launched in the air. Gronholm the only driver in the race with a full set of new tyres was all over the back of Ekstrom. Gronholm took his joker first but when Ekstrom took his, he came out and was able to stay ahead at the merge. On the last lap Ekstrom led the train to take second place ahead of Gronholm and Bakkerud who was now on the back. Timerzyanov was fifth.
Larsson topped the session from Kristoffersson, Timmy Hansen, Kevin Hansen, Szabo and Ekstrom.
Top Qualifier for the finals is Ekstrom. Joining him in the first semi-final is Larsson, Gronholm, Kevin Hansen, Timerzyanov and Szabo. Kristoffersson will be on pole for the second semi-final with Timmy Hansen, Bakkerud, Scheider, Marklund and Doran joining him.
Feature image credit: FIAWorldRallycross.com
