The 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship heads back to Montalegre, Portugal, the site of the very first world rallycross event a decade ago in 2014, for the fourth event weekend in the intriguing “Battle of Technologies” season, pitting internal combustion engine (ICE) cars versus their all-electric rivals.
Celebrating its 25 year anniversary in 2024, the Circuito Internacional de Montalegre has always been a firm favourite for rallycross drivers and fans alike. The fast, flowing gravel sections require precisely perfect off-road driving skills, and the longest straight on the calendar requires bravery and maximum attack to squeeze the most out the cars.
Kristoffersson on his way to victory in Belgium. Credit: @World / Red Bull Content Pool
So far, four out of six races have been won by ICE cars, with all four of those victories going to six-time world champion Johan Kristoffersson. The KMS – HORSE Powertrain driver is in the enviable position of having his teammate, Ole Christian Veiby, as his closest rival in the championship. The Norwegian driver is a whopping 39 points behind Kristoffersson, and can act as a buffer between him and their electric rivals. However, it is widely thought that the nature of Montalegre should favour the electric cars. Knowing Kristoffersson, expect him to try everything to overthrow that conventional wisdom.
Hansen World RX Team are coming into Portugal having finally had a successful weekend this season. Kevin Hansen achieved back to back podiums at the double-header event in Mettet, Belgium, and now sits just four points behind Veiby. 2019 world champion Timmy Hansen is just one point behind his brother, having won his first event in almost two years on the Saturday thanks to some stunning on-track teamwork. The team believe that Montalegre offers the best chance of the year so far for their Peugeot 208 RX1e machines.
Kevin and Timmy Hansen in Belgium. Credit: @World / Red Bull Content Pool
“The results in Belgium were just what the team needed” explained Timmy Hansen “and we’re going to be riding that momentum into these next rounds in Portugal. The track at Montalegre is one that both Kevin and I enjoy, and our family have had some success here before, so we’ll be channelling that and everything we have learned so far this season into this weekend’s races. The testing that we did after Hungary really paid off and the car is feeling so much better. Thanks to that and some amazing teamwork we are still in the fight and the team are feeling great. We will keep giving it everything we’ve got.”
Fellow electric powered CE Dealer Team have the same advantage as the Hansens in terms of the track suiting their powertrain. However, they have the added advantage of having Niclas Grönholm as one of their drivers. Not only has the Finnish driver won an event so far in 2024, but he also won at Montalegre in 2021 and 2022, the latter race in an electric PWR RX1e. He currently is 10 points behind Timmy Hansen, so a good result in Portugal would propel him further up the standings.
CE Dealer Team in action. Credit: @World / Red Bull Content Pool
“We just need to keep working hard and come back stronger in Portugal,” Grönholm conceded after a disappointing weekend in Belgium. “We all know we have the package to keep in the world title fight and that’s what we are here for.”
Grönholm’s teammate, Klara Andersson, has also enjoyed recent success in Portugal, having taken her first world rallycross podium there in 2023. Following a similarly disappointing weekend in Belgium, Andersson remains upbeat, saying “I’m really happy and grateful for the support from all our partners and fans who were here [in Belgium], supporting us through the good and the bad. I’m looking forward to Portugal and returning to a track where we have great memories.”
Niclas Grönholm battles Anthony Pelfrene in Belgium. Credit: @World / Red Bull Content Pool
Rounding out the world rallycross entries for Portugal are two more ICE competitors, veteran world rallycross competitor René Münnich in his SEAT Ibiza, and, competing in his debut year at the highest level in rallycross, Frenchman Anthony Pelfrene. Pelfrene has been demonstrating very rapid pace in his Peugeot 208 WRX and just needs an event for everything to come together for him to fight for an overall victory.
The 7th and 8th rounds of the 2024 FIA World Rallycross Championship take place on 7/8 September. Follow The Checkered Flag for all the action and race reports.