Spectacular Lousada finale set to crown 2026 FIA European Rallycross champions

The stage is set for a spectacular conclusion to the 2026 FIA European Rallycross Championship, with 71 drivers preparing to battle for glory at Portugal's iconic Circuito Internacional de Lousada on 11-13 September.

The championship's return to one of rallycross' most significant venues promises to deliver one of the most memorable weekends in the discipline's history, as Lousada hosts not only the first-ever night race in FIA European Rallycross, but also a double-header finale that will decide all four European titles. Friday evening will see competitive action take place under floodlights for the very first time before the first set of Semi-Finals and Finals follows on Saturday night, with the championship reaching its conclusion in daylight on Sunday.

RX1

A capacity Euro RX1 field of 30 drivers ensures the headline category will provide a fitting finale to an enthralling season. Championship protagonists Andreas Bakkerud and Johan Kristoffersson arrive in Portugal locked in an intense fight for the title, with neither willing to give an inch as they prepare to contest two crucial rounds across the weekend, while Juha Rytkönen, Joni Turpeinen, Ole Christian Veiby and Casper Jansson will all be aiming to finish their campaigns on a high. Former Euro RX1 Champion Patrick O'Donovan will likewise be hoping to rediscover the form that carried him to the 2024 crown after a more difficult campaign this season, while home fans will have plenty to cheer with Joaquim Machado, Leonel Sampaio, José Oliveira, João Ribeiro and António Sousa all joining the battle.

RX3

Euro RX3 also boasts a highly competitive 18-car entry, with championship leader Rytis Gurklys aiming to fend off French rival Julien Meunier in what has developed into one of the season's closest title fights. Local hopes will rest with a strong Portuguese contingent featuring André Sousa, André Machado, Rogério Sousa, Tiago Ferreira and Tiago Costa, while Niclas Geleyns, Samuel Korda, Dylan Dufas and Markuss Rāsruds add further depth to the field.

RX4

The first ever Euro RX4 title will be decided between Andrea Benezet and Filip Melon, with eight drivers entered for the championship's decisive weekend. Alongside the leading duo, Portugal's Hélder Ferreira will make his Euro RX4 debut on board of a bran new Lancia Ypsilon Rally4 HF, while Anna Rusek, Thomas Quincé, Albert Kokk and Haotian Deng complete the grid.

RX5

Fifteen drivers are entered in Euro RX5, where the fight for the first-ever championship crown remains wide open. Estonian pair Armin Raag and Martin Juga head to Portugal separated by only a handful of points, while Spain's Diego Martínez also remains firmly in contention heading into the double-header showdown. A competitive field featuring Paolo Martins, Tiago Costa, Valentin Comte, Benjamin Bartlett and reigning RX5 winners from across the season promises another fiercely contested weekend.

Lousada's compact, spectator-friendly circuit has long been regarded as one of rallycross' classic venues, with its natural amphitheatre creating one of the sport's most atmospheric settings. With two rounds, double championship points on offer across the weekend and every European title still to be settled, all the ingredients are in place for an unforgettable finale as the 2026 FIA European Rallycross Championship reaches its conclusion in Portugal.