Just one point separates Juha Rytkönen from his target as he heads to Lousada with a clearly defined mission. Fourth in the European RX1 Championship with 118 points, the Finn trails Ole Christian Veiby by a single point ahead of the final two races of the season. While the title looks set to be decided between Andreas Bakkerud and Johan Kristoffersson, third place is now firmly within reach for the SET Promotion driver.
One year after making her FIA European Rallycross Championship debut, Rafaela Barbosa will return to Euro RX3 at Lousada this weekend. For her second appearance on the European stage, however, the 19-year-old Portuguese driver will switch cars, taking the wheel of the latest-specification Peugeot 208 normally raced by her father, Mário Barbosa.
Ten days after Lohéac, Johan Kristoffersson was not looking for excuses. Fourth in the French round after being beaten by Fabien Pailler in the semi-final, the Swede had the pace to aim much higher. But between poor starts, traffic and several mistakes, the multiple World Champion believes his team simply did not execute the weekend well enough. With the Lousada finale just days away, however, the most important thing remains unchanged: only one point separates him from Andreas Bakkerud.
At just 17 years old, Joni Turpeinen is already preparing to complete his first full season in the FIA European Rallycross Championship. Fifth in the standings ahead of the final two races at Lousada, the SET Promotion driver no longer has his fate entirely in his own hands when it comes to reaching the final championship podium. In Portugal, the focus will therefore be elsewhere: getting up to speed quickly on an unfamiliar circuit and making one final attempt to challenge the established Euro RX1 frontrunners.
João Ribeiro's first appearance at Lohéac came to an end in the semi-finals, just short of a place in the final. After a mistake in the rain compromised his Saturday, the Portuguese driver gradually fought his way back into contention for the final spots in the Top 6, battling the likes of Sébastien Loeb along the way.
Two drivers, separated by two points, and one European title to be decided in Portugal. In its first season as part of the FIA European Rallycross Championship, Euro RX5 could crown an Estonian driver. Armin Raag and Martin Juga hold the top two positions in the standings after claiming a one-two finish in Ireland and are now preparing to settle their title fight at the season finale.
Andreas Bakkerud left Lohéac with a second-place finish that carries weight beyond the result itself. Beaten by Fabien Pailler in the final, the Norwegian heads to the decisive double-header at Lousada with a one-point lead over Johan Kristoffersson in the FIA European Rallycross Championship standings.
Juha Rytkönen needed a result at Lohéac to remain firmly in contention for a top-three finish in Euro RX1. The Finn delivered with a third-place finish after a weekend in which he got the better of Sébastien Loeb and Johan Kristoffersson. Heading into the final weekend of the championship, he now sits just one point behind Ole Christian Veiby.
Joni Turpeinen had rediscovered the pace needed to fight at the sharp end during the final two qualifying heats at Lohéac. But three punctures at the same spot on the circuit took a heavy toll on the 17-year-old Finn’s weekend, with the last one finally ending his hopes in the quarter-finals.
Fabien Pailler’s victory at Lohéac did more than turn heads in the paddock with the quality of his performance. It also carried particular significance for Bruno Famin, whose history with the Pailler family dates back to his early days at Peugeot Talbot Sport, long before the international programmes that would later shape his career.
Nova Motorsport is continuing to develop its own competition tyre range with the ZZXC, a tyre designed specifically for the demands of mixed-surface Cross Car competition. Having returned several Avon Motorsport products to production since its formation in 2024, the British company has now taken a further step with its first tyre conceived, developed and manufactured entirely under the Nova Motorsport name.
Fabien Pailler made a lasting impression at Lohéac. Winner of the fifth round of the Euro RX1 season, the Frenchman received praise from Johan Kristoffersson, whom the Renault Mégane driver beat in the semi-final before the Swede had to settle for fourth place in the final.
At Lohéac, Julien Meunier first had to save his place on the entry list before reviving his championship hopes. Leaving Brittany with his third victory of the season and a perfect 34-point score, the 2025 RallyX champion cut his deficit to Rytis Gurklys from 28 points to 10 ahead of the decisive double-header at Lousada.
Jean-Luc Pailler has enjoyed his share of victories during his career. Crowned European champion in 1993, he remains the only French driver to have won a continental title in rallycross’s top category. Last Sunday at Lohéac, though, it was as a father that he experienced one of the most powerful moments of his life in the sport.
Fabien Pailler claimed his first European Championship victory at Lohéac on Sunday. The two-time French champion won all three of his knockout races, holding off Johan Kristoffersson in the semi-final and Andreas Bakkerud in the final. Fifteen years after his previous success at the Breton circuit, the victory rewarded a team whose early season had been blighted by recurring technical problems.
Nicolas Geleyns ended his weekend at Lohéac fourth in Euro RX3, just 0.611 seconds short of the podium. Third in qualifying aboard his Volland Racing Audi A1, the Belgian carried that competitive form into the knockout stages. The 19 points he scored in Brittany move him back into third place in the provisional European Championship standings ahead of the Lousada double-header.
Johan Kristoffersson surrendered the European Championship lead to Andreas Bakkerud after finishing fourth at Lohéac despite topping the qualifying standings. Just one point separates the pair ahead of the Lousada double-header. KMS’s struggles with standing starts again proved costly, with Ole Christian Veiby eliminated at the quarter-final stage.
Johan Kristoffersson won the fourth Euro RX1 qualifying session at Lohéac in 2m36.868s. Competing in the fifth race, the Swede made full use of a track that became progressively faster to beat Andreas Bakkerud by 1.301s and Joni Turpeinen by 2.513s. The result also moved him to the top of the standings after all four qualifying sessions.
Juha Rytkönen and Julien Meunier ended the opening day of competition at the top of their respective categories at Lohéac. After three qualifying heats held in changing conditions, the margins remain tight in both Euro RX1 and Euro RX3. Fabien Pailler, Johan Kristoffersson, Andreas Bakkerud and Audrius Kragas all remain capable of overturning the standings on Sunday.
Just 0.017 seconds separated Fabien Pailler from Johan Kristoffersson in the second free practice session at Lohéac. Returning to home soil after a difficult start to the season, the Breton driver placed his Renault Mégane second overall, immediately behind the eight-time World Rallycross Champion.
Johan Kristoffersson and Sébastien Loeb will meet again at Lohéac this weekend. The two drivers have 17 world titles between them, but will approach the fifth round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship with very different priorities. The eight-time World Rallycross Champion must defend his Euro RX1 lead, while the nine-time World Rally Champion returns as a guest entrant with no championship calculations to shape his approach.