The final round of the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy – Gumtree World RX of South Africa – takes place in Cape Town this weekend (10-12 November). 

Cape Town RX marks the first time that rallycross has taken place on the continent of Africa and is the only FIA World Championship event to be staged in sub-Saharan Africa.

The World Championship has already been won by Sweden’s Johan Kristoffersson but this weekend will see a fight for the runner-up spot as Petter Solberg [Norway] and Mattias Ekstrom [Sweden] go head-to-head at the Killarney International Raceway.  Only one point separates 2016 World Champion Ekstrom from former champion Solberg going into the final event of the season and with 30 points up for grabs, qualifying will prove pivotal in the battle for second place.

Two South African drivers will compete at their home event. Mark Cronje will drive an Albatec Racing Peugeot 208 WRX and Ashley Haigh-Smith will compete in an Olsbergs MSE Ford Fiesta. 

Both drivers will have considerable home support in Cape Town. “I’m sure the event this weekend will be another eye-opener, and I will need to rely heavily on the team with regards to set-up and racing lines,” explained 25-year-old Haigh-Smith whose family farm is just ten minutes from the Killarney track.

“It’s going to be a pretty spectacular event. World RX represents a bright new dawn for both the Killarney circuit and motorsport in South Africa in general. It’s a new way forward for the sport in the country, and I think rallycross will massively appeal to the local population. The excitement level is really building, so all I can say to fans is: if you don’t go, you’ll be missing out!”

Other notable names competing in Cape Town include nine-time WRC Champion Sebastien Loeb and America’s Ken Block.  .

Also joining the permanent teams and drivers will be Sweden’s Oliver Eriksson in a second OMSE Fiesta and Belgium’s Gregoire Demoustier, who will drive a Peugeot 208 WRX for the DA Racing team alongside returning driver Jean-Baptiste Dubourg. Germany’s Rene Muennich has already experienced the Killarney International Raceway as he drove at the event’s launch and will race his Muennich Motorsport Seat Ibiza this weekend. 

The Gumtree World RX of South Africa will also mark the final round of the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires.

France’s Cyril Raymond wrapped up the title at his home round in Loheac in September, but there are several ongoing battles throughout the 16-car field.  Twenty-two points separate Britain’s Dan Rooke and Belgium’s Guillaume De-Ridder who are second and third in the standings.

Moreover, Sweden’s William Nilsson, America’s Tanner Whitten and Sweden’s Simon Olofsson are separated by four points further in the battle for fourth place. Multiple freeriding champion Guerlain Chicherit will race in RX2 as he prepares for competing in World RX full time in 2018. 

Des Easom, Executive Manager of Killarney International Raceway commented: “Killarney International Raceway is thrilled to welcome international rallycross and motor racing icons from across the world for this weekend. Crowning the world champion at Killarney is a milestone in our 70th year of racing.  

Race fans will marvel at the extraordinary skills of rallycross drivers in cars accelerating faster than Formula One machines on the newly constructed dirt and tar track at Killarney. You will see drivers like Sebastien Loeb, Petter Solberg, Mattias Ekström, Ken Block and current leader Johan Kristoffersson live at Killarney on Saturday and Sunday. We urge race fans to book their tickets at tickpetpros.co.za and not to miss this historic first.”

City of Cape Town’s Alderman (Ald.) J-P (Jean-Pierre) Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Social Services added: “Cape Town is adding yet another first to its impressive international events offering:  the first ever World Rallycross event in Africa."

"Drivers in super-fast cars racing on dirt and tar right in front of spectators against the backdrop of Table Mountain will provide a memorable adrenalin experience for Killarney crowds as well as race fans watching television in 160 countries and more than seven million followers on social media."

"  The City proudly supports this event in terms our strategy of being the Events Capital of Africa.  The newly constructed track offers a legacy to start a local RX series and the World Championship closer will be coming to Killarney for the next five years.  This is a significant shot in the arm for the local economy and great global marketing for Cape Town, South Africa and Africa.”

Paul Bellamy, World RX Managing Director for IMG, concluded: “It’s a huge honour to bring the only FIA World Championship to sub-Saharan Africa and we’re extremely excited to bring rallycross to a new continent."

"We felt the country was right for a World Championship – I can’t think of a better place in the world to visit than Cape Town at this time of year. We want the crowd to come down to Killarney and support their home drivers Ashley Haigh-Smith and Mark Cronje and we look forward to showcasing rallycross to a packed audience this weekend."

Oliver Eriksson is fired-up to take the fight to his more experienced rivals when he returns to the FIA World Rallycross Championship next month behind the wheel of an Olsbergs MSE-run, Bluebeam-sponsored Ford Fiesta Supercar in South Africa.
 
After clinching the crown in GRC Lites two years ago, Eriksson stepped up to the Supercar class this season, winding up sixth overall with four top five finishes to his credit in one of OMSE’s three-strong stable of Red Bull-backed Honda Civics.
 
The promising Swedish teenager also made his World RX debut on home turf at Höljes back in July, placing 17^th in the Intermediate Rankings ahead of a number of series regulars. He has now confirmed that he will rejoin the fray for Gumtree World RX of South Africa at Killarney on 11/12 November alongside home hero Ashley Haigh-Smith.
 
“I can’t wait to get out on-track in Cape Town!” enthused Eriksson, who at just 19, will be the youngest driver in the field in the ‘Mother City’. “I’m hugely excited to be competing on the African continent for the first time, and it will be an honour to sport the striking Bluebeam colours in front of a new audience – I hope I can do everybody proud.
 
“I’m under no illusions about the difficulty of the challenge ahead – the calibre in World RX is exceptionally high, and to even make it into the semi-finals will be an achievement in itself – but it’s fantastic to have another opportunity to prove my potential on such a major stage.
 
“The track will be new to just about everybody, and from what I’ve seen, it looks awesome – as, indeed, does the whole weekend. It should be a brilliant event to conclude the season, so let’s get out there and put on a spectacular show!”

Championship rights holder IMG has agreed a five-year deal with Circuit of the Americas (COTA) at Austin, Texas.  World RX will make its debut in the United States of America on the weekend of 29-30 September 2018 as part of a festival weekend.
 
The USA is a key territory for World RX teams, manufacturers and sponsors and this latest news is in line with the World Championship’s continued growth.  The 2018 calendar will feature nine European rounds, Canada, the USA and South Africa.
 
World RX Managing Director for IMG, Paul Bellamy, commented: “The United States of America has been on our radar since the World Championship began in 2014 but we were determined to wait for the right opportunity."

"We have been in discussion with a number of venues across the USA but COTA shared our vision for the World Championship and can deliver a key objective of building a first-class rallycross facility. With IMG’s strong presence throughout the US we are confident that the COTA World RX event will be a huge success.”
 
Bellamy added: “Other elements of the weekend that we are working on include music, food festivals and action sports – allowing fans from a variety of backgrounds to attend and enjoy an action-packed weekend in the “live music capital of the world”. 

The track that we are constructing will be in the stadium area on part of the F1 circuit between turns 12 and 15 - a natural amphitheatre that will enable fans to see the whole track from their seat.”
 
COTA Chair Bobby Epstein concluded: “We are delighted to announce that another FIA World Championship will be coming to COTA. There is no doubt that rallycross is a rapidly growing discipline – the fans can watch races in quick succession and the 600bhp cars are mightily impressive."

"The addition of a world-class rallycross circuit will be a welcome addition to our growing venue, and we look forward to working closely with IMG in making the first ever World RX event in the USA a resounding success.”

COTA already hosts the USA rounds of Formula One and MotoGP. Construction of the new rallycross circuit is expected to get underway in the coming months.

Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom won this weekend’s  World RX of Germany, the penultimate round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

Team Peugeot-Hansen’s Timmy Hansen finished runner-up in his Peugeot 208 WRX Supercar. Ekstrom’s team-mate Topi Heikkinen took third to make it a double podium for EKS and the Audi S1 EKS RX Quattro on the manufacturer’s home event.

One of the most notable drives of the weekend, however, was PSRX Volkswagen Sweden’s Petter Solberg who finished fourth.

The Norwegian suffered from a broken collarbone, two broken ribs and a punctured lung from the previous round in Latvia but was determined to get back in the car this weekend to fight for second in the championship. 

Solberg won Q3 and Q4 to finish as top qualifier. He went on to win his semi-final but lost time in the final after going wide in turn one.

Solberg explained: “I had to make a lot of preparation for this weekend – we made some special armour to go under my overalls to keep the collarbone still – but all the time I was a little bit scared, just waiting for the big bang and somebody to hit me from behind."

"I had a couple of nudges, but nothing big. The final was a shame – I really wanted the win, but actually what we have achieved is like a big win for me and for my family and the team.”

Finland’s Niclas Gronholm and Sweden’s Kevin Hansen both made a World RX final for the first time in 2017. 

Hansen was on course for a podium spot but dropped behind Heikkinen on the third lap when he broke the rear-left suspension of his car.  He eventually finished sixth, one spot behind Gronholm who took his best result of the year in fifth.

Event winner Ekstrom, who won the 2016 World RX title at the Estering last year, commented: “It feels so good to take my fourth win of the season and to be alongside Topi again on the podium – I think it has only happened once before [at Hockenheim] and it’s always great to finish alongside your team-mate."

"Topi has been setting the benchmark with his starts and today he was fastest off the line again.  Now we go to the final round just one point behind Petter [Solberg] in the drivers’ standings."

"Obviously the Championship title fight is over but I want to be the best of the rest so that is our only focus when we visit Cape Town for the first time next month.”

Runner-up Hansen added: “My last podium was in Belgium so it is a big relief to get back in the top three this weekend. I took quite a different approach to this race – you can’t force a good result but finishing second on a track where it is hard to overtake is a good result for me."

"It wasn’t an easy end to the final for me but it was enough for me to finish second place. I put my heart into this championship and it’s great to be here."

"Kevin had a very impressive drive this weekend even though he is driving last year’s car – I wanted to be on the podium alongside my brother and hopefully that will happen one day soon.”

Third-placed Heikkinen added: “I have a really good team around me – it has taken me a bit of time to get used to the car this year and I’m very happy to be back on the podium beside Mattias.”

For the first time this year, Johan Kristoffersson failed to reach the final.  The 2017 World RX Champion lost time behind Kevin Eriksson in turn one of his semi-final and was sixth at the end of the first lap.

 Meanwhile, last year’s Germany RX winner Eriksson tried to pass Hansen and spun – his Fiesta collected by both Sebastien Loeb and Kristoffersson who ran behind.  For the first time since Belgium in May, Loeb did not make the final.   

In the final round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship for Super1600, Hungary’s Krisztian Szabo retained his title. He had secured enough points after the semi-finals to take the title and finished Germany RX sixth overall.

Latvia’s Artis Baumanis finished third in Germany and ends the season second overall.   Meanwhile, Jussi-Petteri Leppihalme finished second this weekend to end the season third overall.

Norway’s Lars-Oivind Enerberg was crowned the 2017 TouringCar Champion while Anders Braten and Philip Gehrman finished the season second and third respectively. The Germany RX TouringCar round was won by last year’s Champion Ben-Philip Gundersen while David Nordgard and Braten were second and third.

World RX Managing Director for IMG, Paul Bellamy, concluded: “Today we had two German manufacturers – Volkswagen and Audi – on the front row of the final which is a fantastic story on the marques’ home soil."

"Well done to Mattias who took the win in front of 25,000 fans who came to the Estering this weekend to watch the penultimate round of World RX and of course it was great to see a double podium for EKS. It’s fantastic to see Timmy back on the podium for Team Peugeot-Hansen and of course we have crowned two new Euro RX Champions this weekend too so congratulations to Krisztian and Lars-Oivind too."

"Finally, I want to highlight the heroic effort of Petter who got back in the cockpit after his accident in Riga only two weeks ago, which just goes to show the passion and dedication of our World RX drivers. Now we have a six-week break before our final round of the year in South Africa as the World Championship visits Cape Town for the first time."

The final round of the 2017 World RX season takes place at the Killarney International Raceway, just ten miles outside of Cape Town, which takes place from 10-12 November.