Kristoffersson secured his title in the penultimate round of the season at Istanbul Park in Turkey. The Swedish driver was taken by surprise upon learning that he had already earned the points needed for the championship in his second heat race.
“Is it done already? Wow! I didn’t know,” Kristoffersson marvelled.
“What a race to secure that championship, unbelievable. That race was really, really nice,” continued the rallycross superstar, who made stunning overtakes in his second heat and crossed the finish line in first place.
The 35-year-old first claimed a world title in 2017. He is the most successful driver in the history of the championship.
“Seven titles, that is unbelievable. It takes a long time before it sinks in. But what a year we’ve had. We have had a flawless year with almost no technical issues at all,” Kristoffersson reflected.
On Saturday, Kristoffersson reached the final, which proved to be a dramatic one for him. He clashed with Finnish driver Niclas Grönholm just after the start, damaging the front of his Volkswagen. Later, he attempted to challenge fellow Swede Kevin Hansen but crashed head-on into a tyre barrier.
Kristoffersson eventually finished the race in third place, though he was denied a spot on the podium due to a major oversight – he had forgotten to take the joker lap entirely. As a result, he was relegated to sixth, the last position in the final.
Saturday’s race was won by Norwegian Ole Christian Veiby, marking his first victory in the World Rallycross Championship. Grönholm finished second, with Kevin Hansen taking third.
The season’s final race will be held on Sunday at Istanbul Park. Behind Kristoffersson, a fierce battle continues for the remaining championship medals. Kevin Hansen is currently in second place, but Veiby has closed the gap to just seven points. Timmy Hansen and Grönholm are also still in contention for a medal, sitting close behind Veiby in the standings.
