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HoljesRX: Ekstrom is the winner after Hansen is penalized

  • Mattias Ekstrom, Timmy Hansen

Mattias Ekstrom (EKS RX) has become the fifth different winner in this year’s World Rallycross Championship after exciting final race and duel with Timmy Hansen. Hansen’s Peugeot 208 WRX first crossed the finish line but stewards judged that passing manouvre, with which he overtook Ekstrom’s Audi S1, was against the regulations and Hansen was penalized.  As a consequence, Hansen was demoted to second while Ford Olsbergs MSE driver Andreas Bakkerud finished third.

Other positions remain the same, as we published in the first report after the final race. Reigning champion Petter Solberg continues to lead the overall standings, with 159 points, 44 points ahead of Johan Kristoffersson. Third is Bakkerud (113), fourth Hansen (104), fifth Reinis Nitiss (96), sixth Davy Jeannney (88). Winner of the HoljesRX event Ekstrom is seventh with 87 points, ahead Toomas Heikkinen (75).

In the team standings Ford Olsbergs lead the championship with 209 points. Team Peugeot-Hansen is not far away with 192 points, SD RX is third with 182 points. They are followed by Volkswagen Team Sweden (154), Marklund Motorsport (126), EKS RX (115), World RX Team Austria (43) and All-Inkl.com Munnich Motorsport (8).

WorldRX-Jeanney-Ekstrom

“I’m happy for my guys and for myself, I feel this is a well deserved win. I have no hard feelings towards Timmy, he deserves P2.  He made a brave move passing me on the corner but everybody has to play by the rules of a World Championship.  I did feel like I was robbed of the win so I’m pleased that the stewards made the decision that they did – it sets the level of the bar of how we should race. I’m really pleased with how car the car has performed and of course it’s always amazing to take a win at my home race”, said Ekstrom, who has won at Holjes for the second year in a row.

“It was a very close call. I saw a gap on the final corner after the jump, I didn’t hesitate and I just went for it.  I didn’t think I was pushing Mattias, there was some contact side by side but that is rallycross in my opinion.  I still feel like I won in front of my home crowd and I crossed the finish line first which was a dream feeling,” said Timmy Hansen, dissapointed by stewards’ decision.

The World RX crews will now have a five-week break before they prepare to cross the Atlantic for World RX of Canada (7-8 August).

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