After recently announcing its WTCR programme, Sébastien Loeb Racing confirmed its participation in the 2018 FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX).

Making its debut in this spectacular category, the French team will provide Grégoire Demoustier with a car specially developed by prestigious partners, overseen by Georges Kaczka and Pierre Arnaud.

Onroak Automotive and Oreca have spent the past six months focusing on significant research and development work on the chassis and engine of a Peugeot 208 for the series, which has now been completed.

Demoustier is no stranger to the Sébastien Loeb Racing team, having competed with them during the 2016 World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). The Frenchman also shined in the GT1 FIA World Championship, Blancpain Endurance Series, and TCR International Series, since making his racing debut in 2008.

This season, the 27-year-old will also benefit from his significant World RX experience, after competing in several 2017 rounds with a Peugeot 208.

By taking on this challenge in World RX, Sébastien Loeb Racing has the pleasure to meet up with its co-founder and nine-time WRC champion, Sébastien Loeb.

The Soultz-sous-Forêts, Alsace, based outfit will again rely on its technical know-how and world-class team members that have achieved success together in the various championships they’ve competed in, since launching in late 2011.

Ken Block is top qualifier overnight at the World RX of South Africa – the final round of the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

Latvia’s Janis Baumanis took the lead of Q2 race three in the opening corners with an opportunistic move, having been down the order at the first corner and won to set the quickest time.

Meanwhile, in Q2 race five, Block overtook Hoonigan Racing Division team mate Andreas Bakkerud in the joker on lap four to win the race and be second quickest. 

“We are struggling a lot with the starts but there was some action in the corner. I was first after the second corner and I really pushed to get the maximum out of my car."

"I really enjoyed those four laps. I really enjoy this track, you need to know where you need to push and if you don’t do that exactly in the right place you will be in big trouble, but I did everything right and was the fastest man in Q2,” said Baumanis. 

Block’s overtake on his team mate was partially due to a puncture on the front left of Bakkerud’s Focus, a problem faced by a number of drivers."

"The American driver was delighted to be TQ on Saturday evening. “I’m pretty stoked to be on top, this track just really suits this car so we knew from the beginning that it was going to be pretty strong here."

"Our car works best when there is good grip and long corners and this track actually has a lot of good grip and even a lot of the gravel has quite good grip so our car has been really accelerating out of the corners. It’s been fun for me today driving this track, I’ve really enjoyed it,” said Block. 

Baumanis is second on in the Intermediate Classification, with World Champion Johan Kristoffersson third and Q1 winner Timmy Hansen fourth. Norway’s Andreas Bakkerurd is fifth and Finland’s Topi Heikkinen sixth.

In the battle for second in the World RX Drivers’ Championship, Norway’s Petter Solberg in ninth after a puncture and Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom is tenth having been given a five-second penalty in Q2. 

Norway’s Andreas Bakkerud has this morning confirmed that he will join Mattias Ekstrom in the newly-named Mattias Ekstrom for the 2018 FIA World Rallycross Championship .
 
Both drivers will compete in all 12 rounds of the World Championship in two new Audi S1 EKS RX quattro cars.  This news follows hot on the heels of an announcement earlier in the week that Ekstrom will quit his career in DTM to fully concentrate on rallycross.
 
Ekstrom explained: “With support from Audi we’re able to go for all-out attack.  Our aim for 2018 is clear: we’re battling for the drivers’ and teams’ world championship titles.  It’s clear that we needed to make some changes. That’s why we’re preparing two new cars and putting the competition from Volkswagen and Peugeot in their place.”
 
Bakkerud, who has spent the last two seasons driving alongside Ken Block in the Hoonigan Racing Division team, spoke positively about his move to EKS Audi Sport. “It’s a great honour for me to be driving in Mattias’ team,” explained 26-year-old Bakkerud.  “We’ve had good rapport with each other for many years and I’ve been closely following the development of EKS. Together with the team I’d now like to make the step in my career and be in contention for the title.”
 
Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass concluded: “We gathered very positive experiences in the World RX last year and are convinced of the series’ growth.  In the medium run, we hope to see electric cars being fielded in this racing series because electrification is a focus topic at Audi also in motorsport.”
 
Round one of the 2018 World RX season will kick off in Barcelona (14-15 April).

Sweden’s Johan Kristoffersson entered the record books today as the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver won the first ever World RX event staged in Africa.

Former World RX Champion Mattias Ekstrom finished third and consequently secured the runner-up spot in the 2017 championship after a season-long battle with Petter Solberg.

Team Peugeot-Hansen’s Timmy Hansen claimed second at this weekend’s Gumtree World RX of South Africa – the 12th and final round of this year’s FIA World Rallycross Championship.
 
In the final round of the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires  Frenchman Cyril Raymond rounded off a near-perfect season by taking his sixth win in the highly competitive seven-event feeder series.

Great Britain’s Dan Rooke had a troubled final when he rolled his car on lap two, causing the race to be red-flagged.  Despite this mishap, Rooke secured second in the 2017 standings.  Sondre Evjen and Tanner Whitten finished second and third in Cape Town. Belgium’s Guillaume De-Ridder claimed third in the end of year leaderboard.
 
“It’s fantastic to wrap up the teams’ and drivers’ championship and to also take the win at the final round of the season,” grinned 2017 World RX Champion Kristoffersson who won a staggering seven out of 12 events this season.

“The team has worked so hard this year and ten podium results is credit to how fantastic everyone has been. Obviously to break records in World RX is an amazing feeling but to have won the World Championship is so unbelievably special."

"It was a good weekend all round – I had a slow puncture in the semi-final but I got a really good launch in the final and when I got clear space I was able to manage the gap back from Timmy and Mattias, as well as manage the tyres well.  Thanks to everyone for such a memorable season – I’m really looking forward to being back with VW in 2018.”
 
Runner-up Hansen added: “This has been one of the best weekends I’ve had this year and it’s great to finish on a high including my two qualifying wins."

"I really wanted to take the victory for Peugeot and this weekend we were so close – I gave it everything I had in the final but I lost a little bit too much in the first lap to be able to get ahead of Johan. The 208 has been fantastic all year and it worked especially well at this track.”
 
Ekstrom’s reactions were fastest of today’s six finalists, rewarding him with the final Monster Energy Super Charge Award of 2017. 

Despite losing his World RX crown to Kristoffersson, Ekstrom praised the new World Champion. “Sometimes you’re in front and sometime you’re behind – that’s just how it goes and Johan definitely deserves the win today and the World Championship too.

Timmy was really fast this weekend too, but to be honest, everybody wants to win – World RX has now reached a level where everyone will battle for everything.”
 
When asked about the new Cape Town RX event, Ekstrom praised the enthusiasm of the South African fans.  “The grandstands were full this weekend and the atmosphere and support from everyone here was amazing.”
 
Solberg finished fourth in Cape Town and finished the season third in the driver standings – five points adrift of Ekstrom.   “Of course it’s a little bit disappointing not to take the silver,” admitted Solberg.

“I am so proud of what we have done. Johan has broken so many records this year and the whole team, everybody in PSRX Volkswagen Sweden has worked and played so hard – this weekend and this year is because of them and I can’t thank them all enough.”
 
MJP Racing Team Austria’s Timo Scheider’s rounded out the top five in Cape Town after an impressive rookie season at the wheel of his Ford Fiesta.  Kevin Hansen finished sixth, the Swede having retired shortly after the start with transmission problems.
 
In what marked the final event for the Hoonigan Racing Division, America’s Ken Block showed fantastic pace. He led the event overnight and finished second in semi-final one but was later disqualified as his car was found to be underweight.
 
Nine-time WRC Champion Sebastien Loeb retired on the final lap of today’s second semi-final but rounded off the season fourth in the overall standings – 13 points ahead of his team-mate Hansen who ends the year in fifth place.
 
Home favourites Mark Cronje and Ashley Haigh-Smith received tremendous support on their World RX debuts but neither driver made the semi-finals.