KRISTOFFERSSON OVERCOMES ERROR TO SET PACE IN SUPERPOLE

After setting the pace in free practice by just over four tenths-of-a-second, Kristoffersson was the clear favourite going into the single-lap shootout at Höljes to determine the starting positions for heat one this afternoon.

Running in reverse championship order, the five-time world champion was the last driver to take to the track, with Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS stablemate Ole Christian Veiby having set the time to beat. The pair proved to be nip-and-tuck throughout the lap, with Kristoffersson’s uncharacteristic error setting up a tense final sector.

In the end, it was Sweden one, Norway nil as Kristoffersson pulled it back to top the timesheets by a scant 0.073 seconds.

“It’s super nice to be fastest, of course,” he reflected. “OC put in a very good lap and I made a small mistake heading towards the Velodrome so I didn’t think I was going to do it, if I’m honest. Big compliments to all the Kristoffersson Motorsport guys who built this car – we try to keep improving the package every time, and we’re now starting to see how good it really is.”

Behind the dominant VW duo, Timmy Hansen – the most recent winner at the ‘Magic Weekend’ in World RX two years ago – slotted into third place for Hansen World RX Team as he bids to belatedly kick-start his title challenge on home soil, with Niclas Grönholm fourth for CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment.

Nine-time FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb hustled his Special ONE Racing Lancia Delta Evo-e RX to the fifth-quickest time ahead of Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team), Guerlain Chicherit (Special ONE Racing) and Timo Scheider (ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport). Hansen World RX Team’s Kevin Hansen brought up the order after running wide at the same place as Kristoffersson and putting two wheels off-track.

Heat one of World RX gets underway at 14:20 CET, with all of the electrifying action broadcast live on RX+.