Johan Kristoffersson wins WRX Drivers Title for 2018
Title secured with a win – Kristoffersson is the 2018 World Rallycross Champion.
World champion for the second year in a row – and accomplished with style: Johan Kristoffersson (S) has made Rallycross and motorsport history with the Volkswagen Polo R Supercar. The new champion wrapped up the successful defence of his title in the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX) with victory number nine in race number ten in Austin (USA). Second place went to PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team owner and Kristoffersson’s team-mate Petter Solberg (N). The Swede had already been confirmed as champion elect by the end of the semi-final race, which Petter Solberg won – ahead of Kristoffersson. Going into the final rounds in Buxtehude (Germany) and Cape Town (South Africa), Kristoffersson’s (281 points) lead is now an assailable 78 points. Solberg is third with 202 points – one point behind second-placed Mattias Ekström.
This was the second title in just eight days for Kristoffersson. Last week, he claimed the title in the TCR Scandinavia series – with the Golf GTI TCR.
Kristoffersson became the first Sweden to win two motorsport world championships. What makes that feat all the more impressive is just how he achieved it: nine of the ten possible victories so far have gone the way of the newly-crowned champion – a unique record. The 29-year-old has also been the top qualifier on six occasions in total.
Johan Kristoffersson (S), Volkswagen Polo R Supercar #1
“After the first qualifying sessions it was not looking great, in terms of winning the championship here. To do it with a win is obviously fantastic. I had a good tyre strategy in the semi-final and final, which paid dividends. I improved consistently throughout the entire weekend. Now it is time to celebrate.”
Petter Solberg (N), Volkswagen Polo R Supercar #11
“I am very happy with my performance this weekend. I am proud to have the world champion in my own team. We have had a really reliable Polo all season.”
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Scott Speed first ever ARX champion – “powered by Volkswagen”.
Scott Speed (USA) has won the inaugural season of the Americas Rallycross (ARX) – and he did so in a hard-fought battle at the season finale of the new series in Austin (USA). Although the first three qualifying races did not pan out as Speed would have hoped – as well as his own mistakes, fierce battles cost the American time and points – the fastest time in heat four catapulted him into second place in qualifying – behind team-mate and championship rival Tanner Foust (USA). This meant that victory in the semi-final was sufficient for Speed to wrap up the title with the finale still to come. Foust won the finale, ahead of Speed, to take second place in the championship and see the Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team end the season with a one-two. Both Foust and Speed ended the inaugural ARX season with two wins to their name, making it a maximum four from four for Volkswagen.
Scott Speed, Volkswagen Beetle #41
“What a weekend! For a while it was not looking good in qualifying. In fact, it looked as though I was going to miss out on a lot of points. However, I bounced back in the final qualifying heat. Now I have the title - awesome!”
Tanner Foust, Volkswagen Beetle #34
“It is obviously fantastic to win the final round. I did everything I could to win as many points as possible – but Scott clinched the title with a classy performance. A one-two in the race and the championship – that is a superb result for Volkswagen.”
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