Bakkerud back on top with first victory in four years
Andreas Bakkerud handled the heat of the ‘Red Cauldron’ to vanquish a high-calibre Euro RX1 field and return to the highest step of the rostrum in the FIA European Rallycross Championship at Nyirád in Hungary today (31 May) – leaping to the top of the title table in the process.
After leading the overnight standings, Bakkerud cemented his Top Qualifier status in Q4 this morning as he pipped arch-rival Johan Kristoffersson to the fastest time of the session. The Norwegian subsequently controlled the weekend’s first Quarter-Final from lights-to-flag to secure pole position for the opening Semi-Final, which he similarly dominated.
That earned Bakkerud pole position for the all-important Final – and alongside him, inevitably, was his old nemesis, the ever-present Kristoffersson. The pair made even starts when the lights went out, but the Ford Fiesta driver had the inside line and had absolutely no intention of relinquishing it.
As Bakkerud edged Kristoffersson wide on the approach to Turn One, closely-following SET Promotion duo Joni Turpeinen and Juha Rytkönen spied an opportunity to take advantage, with both sneaking up the inside of the Volkswagen Polo. In a dramatic twist, as the pack squeezed together in order to navigate the tight left-hander, minor contact sent the eight-time World Champion spinning into the outside tyre wall – rejoining at the tail-end of the order.
For Bakkerud – who has committed to a full season in the series this year for the first time since 2021, with his Bergen Motorsport Evolution outfit supported by SET Promotion – there was no such trouble, as the three-time European Champion focused his efforts on consolidating his margin over the pursuing Rytkönen.
While the Finn kept him honest, the outcome never truly looked in doubt, and after posting the fastest lap of the race, Bakkerud went on to take the chequered flag just over one-and-a-half seconds clear, eliciting a huge roar from the large and enthusiastic Nyirád crowd.
After celebrating in characteristically ebullient style with several spectacular ‘donuts’, the seven-time World RX event-winner fought back tears as he reflected upon a milestone victory for both himself and his new team following a number of years in the rallycross wilderness.
What’s more, the 34-year-old’s Hungarian success – his first triumph in Euro RX since prevailing on home soil in Hell in 2022 – has vaulted him one point ahead of Kristoffersson in the chase for the coveted crown, setting the scene for a sensational remaining four rounds.
Bakkerud was joined on the post-race podium by his SET stablemates Rytkönen and Turpeinen, both of whom were front-running protagonists weekend-long. For the Finn – the youngest driver in the bumper, 30-strong Euro RX1 entry at just 17 – the result marked a second consecutive trip to the rostrum after similarly finishing third in the curtain-raising contest in Rīga, as he continues to mark himself out as a star of the future in the sport.
In order to accomplish that, Turpeinen had to fend off the threat of a hard-charging Ole Christian Veiby in the second KMS car, with the Norwegian’s weekend one of highs-and-lows as he had to bounce back from a broken gear lever in Q1.
Kristoffersson wound up a frustrated fifth ahead of countryman Casper Jansson, with the young Swede impressing greatly on Sunday following a mixed bag of heat races, only falling prey to the most successful driver of the modern era when he ran wide through Turn One on the penultimate lap of the Final.
Other performances of note came from Fabien Pailler, Johannes Rafoss, Patrick O’Donovan and home hero Andor Trepák, all of whom exited proceedings at the Semi-Final stage. The Frenchman was a factor throughout as he responded in fine fashion from a hugely disappointing season-opener in which he didn’t even get to race, while Norwegian teenager Rafoss belied his lack of experience on the international stage to shine once again.
Former Euro RX1 Champion O’Donovan repaid his Team RX Racing mechanics with a superb run in the Quarter-Final after crashing out of Q4 and incurring significant damage to his Peugeot 208, but another accident in the Semi-Final following contact with Veiby curtailed his challenge. Reigning domestic title-winner Trepák also showed prodigious pace in clean air, but spent too much time caught up in traffic and ultimately narrowly missed the cut.
Andreas Bakkerud, Bergen Motorsport Evolution, said: “This means the world. It’s not often you get the chance to go door-to-door with an eight-time World Champion, and Johan is such a beast behind the wheel! It’s no secret that I had a tough time in America in recent years, and now coming back here and starting a new chapter with Bergen Motorsport Evolution… we’re doing a good job and we’re fighting hard. I feel the sport is back – and so am I!”
Juha Rytkönen, SET Promotion, said: “It’s been a good weekend. We didn’t have the best start to the season in Rīga, but I’m really enjoying working with SET Promotion and we can enjoy this result because we’re getting closer and closer to the front. It was great to lock out all three podium places together with Andreas – we certainly showed what we can do as a team. For me, this feels like a win! I’m very happy.”
Joni Turpeinen, SET Promotion, said: “Three SET Promotion drivers on the podium – it’s crazy! I absolutely didn’t expect to have such a successful start to the season. It was quite chaotic into Turn One in the Final – everyone was flying everywhere like rockets, but I was able to stay clean on the inside line and it was good to finish third again. My tyres were completely gone by the end of the weekend, but we’ll have good ones for Höljes!”
Next up for the Euro RX1 competitors will be round three of the 2026 campaign at Höljes in Sweden – rallycross’ legendary ‘Magic Weekend’ on 4-5 July. On the basis of the action at Nyirád, an epic encounter looks in prospect in the Värmland forest!
Check out the Final Results from Hungary.
