Representing CE Dealer Team, Grönholm finished second and third in the preliminary rounds. In the semi-final, he secured second place, which meant a second-row start for the day’s final.
The final saw two significant crashes in the first two corners of the track. In the first incident, Johan Kristoffersson, the championship leader, and his compatriot Kevin Hansen collided and were forced to retire.
In the next corner, Timmy Hansen, who had taken the lead, blocked Grönholm, resulting in a heavy collision between the two. Hansen spun out, allowing Grönholm to take the lead.
After the initial corners, the five-lap final became a showcase for the Finnish driver. Grönholm skillfully kept his car on the clean racing line and convincingly won the final by over five seconds. This victory marked Grönholm’s eighth career win in a World RX event.
Immediately after the race, the stewards reviewed the incidents in the final, and after a lengthy four-hour deliberation, the results were confirmed.
“The result was good, and that’s the main thing. In terms of speed, we were around the top three, but we found more pace for the semi-final. The final was full of incidents. I managed to avoid the first crash in the first corner, and from there, the events snowballed into the second corner.
“I was on the inside, and Hansen turned in front of me. I don’t know what I could have done differently in that situation. Hansen spun, and I took the lead. It’s a different story if I had driven straight into him. But fortunately, the stewards saw the situation the same way,” Grönholm reflected.
On Sunday, another World RX round will be contested in Hungary.
“We will try some small adjustments to the car, but I’m confident heading into the new day.”
Kristoffersson remains at the top of the championship standings, with Grönholm in second place.
