The FIA RX2e Championship continues at Höljes this weekend, with an exciting squad of local stars joining the grid for Round 2 of the pioneering series’ debut season.
Four native drivers have joined the field for the second outing of RX2e’s inaugural campaign, with the first-ever FIA electric rallycross championship reprising its role as lead support category on the FIA World Rallycross Championship undercard.
Nils Andersson, Isak Reiersen, Isak Sjökvist and Linus Östlund are all on the hunt for success at the World RX of Sweden this weekend but the quartet will have their work cut out catching Guillaume De Ridder if the Belgian replicates his form from the curtain-raiser at Catalunya.
De Ridder completed a dominant clean sweep at the Circuit de Catalunya, claiming victory in every single session to become the maiden RX2e race winner and take an early lead in the Drivers’ Standings.
The 28-year-old was pushed all the way by Fraser McConnell and Jesse Kallio, but an eagerly-anticipated three-way showdown failed to materialise after the former RX2 sparring partners came together in the first corner of the final.
The trio will renew their rivalry at Höljes this week, while Patrick O’Donovan will be doing his best to reproduce his impressive third-place finish in Round 1 – achieved on his international rallycross debut.
Popular Spaniard Pablo Suárez is another returning face, having just missed out on the rostrum at his home event in Barcelona, and pacy Frenchman Damien Meunier will be hoping for better luck after a frustrating opening weekend – the former RX2 finalist having shown the potential to challenge for a podium before suffering consecutive qualifying DNFs which halted his momentum.
While the majority of the grid have already got one event under their belt driving the cutting-edge RX2e cars, the new Swedish contingent will be looking to utilise home advantage to make up for lost time.
None of the quartet know Höljes better than Östlund, with the 21-year-old having grown up at the famous Värmland circuit, while his RallyX Nordic Supercar Lites rival Andersson won at the legendary venue earlier this term.
Meanwhile, Sjökvist has shown rapid improvement throughout his first full season after graduating from karting and Reiersen – a junior member of leading World RX outfit EKS JC – arrives with an impressive career résumé and will be looking to make waves on his international debut just one week after clinching the RallyX Nordic CrossCar/Crosskart crown.
Pere Gonzalez, Project Manager, FIA RX2e Championship, said: “The inaugural FIA RX2e Championship got us off to an electrifying start in Barcelona, and we’re confident that the high-octane action will continue in Höljes.
“We have a world class line-up of promising young talent assembled for the World RX of Sweden, with a number of native drivers out to prove their worth on home turf, and we cannot wait to see the highly-competitive field push the RX2e car to its limit around one of the most iconic venues in rallycross history.”
Where to Watch
Racing is set to begin at 1130 CEST on Saturday, 21 August, with all of the action across the board to be live-streamed in HD via the new RX+ broadcast platform. This premium production will grant subscribers unparalleled and unprecedented access anytime, anywhere and on any device, offering a choice of viewing angles, in-depth expert analysis, special behind-the-scenes features and exclusive interviews.
The Full Season Pass is still on sale for the special launch price of €29,99, representing a 40% discount on the regular price of €49,99 and guaranteeing access until the end of the year. The Event Pass for Swecon World RX of Sweden is currently available for €4,79 (using promo code RXPLUS40), again representing a 40% saving on the regular price of €7,99.
Tickets to World RX of Sweden can be purchased here
About FIA RX2e Championship
Sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), RX2e is a joint venture between Spanish electro-mobility specialist QEV Technologies, Olsbergs MSE and RX Promotion.
The vision for the FIA RX2e Championship is to provide a pathway to the top of the sport for aspiring rallycross stars, with five European events planned for its inaugural season in 2021, all in support of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
2021 FIA RX2e Championship Calendar
July 23 – 24 Barcelona-Catalunya, Spain
August 20 – 22 Höljes, Sweden
September 3-5 Lohéac, France
October 9-10 Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
November 27-28 Nürburgring, Germany
About QEV Technologies
QEV Technologies, a pioneering electric mobility global company created in Spain, is backed by a long and solid track record in the sustainable mobility sector, with a commitment to electric vehicles and a decade of experience in the manufacture of electric hypercars. The company is focused on the design and manufacture of electric vehicles for different sectors, using and developing cutting-edge technology, as well as on the conversion of combustion vehicles to electric vehicles. QEV Technologies has also an extensive-winning experience in motor racing.
