Tim Braumüller makes history as first FIA Euro RX5 winner in Latvia

Tim Braumüller claimed a landmark victory at the Euro RX of Latvia, becoming the first-ever winner in the new FIA Euro RX5 category after a dramatic final at Biķernieki.

The German driver produced a decisive performance on Sunday afternoon to beat Estonian challengers Armin Raag and Martin Juga, bringing the opening round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship’s new Cross Car-based category to a thrilling conclusion.

For much of the weekend, however, it looked as though Juga would be the driver to beat. The young Estonian was in exceptional form throughout qualifying, perfectly piloting his LifeLive TN11 to top each of Saturday’s three qualifying sessions and secure a maximum haul of 150 points.

His pace continued into Sunday morning, with Juga once again setting the benchmark in Q4 to complete a remarkable qualifying clean sweep. By the end of the heats, he had achieved a perfect score of 200 points, underlining both his raw speed and his immediate competitiveness in the new FIA Euro RX5 category.

Juga carried that momentum into the semi-finals, winning his race to secure a place on the front row for the final. Braumüller followed closely behind to put himself firmly into podium contention, while the second semi-final saw Armin Raag set the pace, beating the competition to secure his own front-row starting position.

That set up an all-Estonian front row for Sunday’s final, with Juga and Raag lining up side by side. Braumüller and Reinis Purmalis started from the middle of the grid, while Janno Muru and Pablo Gonzalez completed the final line-up behind them.

When the lights went out, Juga made a sensational launch, rocketing off the line to cover off the charging Braumüller into the opening corners. The German, however, was not prepared to settle for second. On lap two, he increased the pressure, setting the fastest lap and closing rapidly onto the rear of Juga.

Braumüller then made the decisive strategic call, taking his joker lap early to give himself clean air and the chance to build momentum. With Juga electing to stay out, the battle for victory became a test of pace, timing and track position.

The strategy proved crucial. When Juga eventually took his joker on lap four, he emerged behind Braumüller, handing the German the lead of the final. From there, Juga pushed hard to retake the position, but his challenge began to fade in the closing stages.

Raag then capitalised, catching his fellow Estonian on lap five and moving into second place before the finish. Braumüller held firm at the front to secure a historic first FIA Euro RX5 victory, with Raag second and Juga completing the podium in third.

Despite missing out on victory in the final, there could be no denying the scale of Juga’s performance across the weekend. Achieving a perfect 200-point score in qualifying is a rare feat in elite rallycross, and the Estonian’s pace marked him out as one of the standout talents of the opening round.

His performance also caught the attention of eight-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson. After winning the €1,000 “King of the Start” prize in the Euro RX1 final, Kristoffersson elected to donate the award to Juga to support the young Estonian’s future career.

The opening round of the FIA Euro RX5 Championship delivered exactly the kind of close, competitive racing the new category was designed to create. With young drivers, accessible machinery and intense wheel-to-wheel battles, Euro RX5 made a strong first impression as a platform for the next generation of rallycross talent.