Mattias Ekström is returning to World RX to taste rallycross at Spa

Since its inauguration, the FIA World Rallycross Championship was incorporating famous Formula One circuits to its schedule of races, starting with Hockenheim and Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in 2015, then Silverstone and Circuit of the Americas in 2018. This year, four Grand Prix circuits will also host World RX events: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Silverstone as repeated hosts, and Yas Marina Circuit and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as new venues for rallycross events.

The third round of the championship will take place this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps, introducing the 913m long purpose-built rallycross track that is also using the famous Eau Rouge corner.

World RX rallycross track at Spa-Francorchamps

Among twenty drivers that are announced for the World RX event at Spa, there is also one special returnee – the former world rallycross champion Mattias Ekström. He left championship at the end of 2018 but now he decided to reactivate himself, wanting to taste rallycross at the iconic Spa.

“Being on the sofa at home watching Abu Dhabi, I started to imagine racing again and going through Eau Rouge at 200km sideways. It started to become very tempting,” Ekström explained.

Mattias Ekström

He will return to the race track in a familiar car, an Audi S1, the same he drove when he became world champion in 2016. At Spa, Ekstrom will be a member of JC Raceteknik two-car team, partnered by Belgian GT driver Enzo Ide.

Among other entrants, there are World RX regulars who already raced in the first two rounds at Yas Marina and Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Together with Mattias Ekstrom and Enzo Ide, some other additional entries at Spa will be Francois Duval, Gregoire Demoustier or Joni Wiman. Niclas Gronholm, who is second in the championship after two rounds, unfortunately withdrew due to illness.