2018 FIA WORLD RX CHAMPIONSHIP
R1. SPAIN
CATALUNYA
APR 14-15
R2. PORTUGAL
MONTALEGRE
APR 28-29
R3. BELGIUM
METTET
MAY 12-13
R4. GREAT BRITAIN
SILVERSTONE
MAY 26-27
R5. NORWAY
HELL
JUN 09-10
R6. SWEDEN
HOLJES
30 JUN-JUL 01
R7. CANADA
TROIS RIVIERES
AUG 04-05
R8. FRANCE
LOHEAC
SEP 01-02
R9. LATVIA
RIGA
SEP 15-16
R10. USA
AUSTIN
SEP 29-30
R11. GERMANY
BUXTEHUDE
OCT 13-14
R12. SOUTH AFRICA
CAPE TOWN
NOV 24-25
R1. World RX of Catalunya-Barcelona April 13-15
World RX of Catalunya-Barcelona April 13-15
1.135km
60.4% Asphalt/39.6% Gravel
Fourth time on the calendar and second time as the season-opener. Barcelona is the place where the World RX contenders come out of winter and race into spring. The circuit has great motorsport heritage and plenty of action to keep Johan, Petter and the rest of the pack on their toes. The PSRX Volkswagen World RX Team Sweden made its debut here with both Polo GTI Supercars in the final, Petter fourth and Johan sixth.
Previous winners:
Mattias Ekström (2017)
Mattias Ekström (2016)
Petter Solberg (2015)
Closest international airport:
Barcelona–El Prat Airport
Currency:
Euro
Capital city:
Madrid
Language:
Spanish
Seriously… Looking to chill in Barcelona? We can understand that in a city where 30-degree heat’s a pretty common thing. So on those days, there’s only one place to go: Icebarcelona – it’s always minus 10 there.
R2. World RX of Portugal April 27-29
World RX of Portugal April 27-29
1.01km
60% asphalt/40% tarmac
The Montalegre circuit sits close to the Spanish border in the Vila Real district and is World RX’s westernmost mainland European race. Always a popular weekend with the motorsport-mad locals, this circuit is one of the more technical on the calendar, with that challenge often complicated by changeable weather. With three wins in four years, it’s a circuit Johan and Petter clearly enjoy.
Previous winners:
Mattias Ekström (2017)
Petter Solberg (2016)
Johan Kristoffersson (2015)
Petter Solberg (2014)
Closest international airport:
Vila Real
Currency:
Euro
Capital city:
Lisbon
Language:
Portuguese
Seriously… What are you doing on June 23? Head to Porto, Portugal for the festival of Sao Joao, known locally as the festival of lovers. And how are you encouraged to express your attraction towards somebody at the festival? By throwing garlic at them.
R3. World RX of Belgium May 11-13
World RX of Belgium May 11-13
1.031km
61% asphalt/39%gravel
As the scene of PSRX Volkswagen Sweden’s first win last year, this place holds great memories. And it wasn’t just the first win, it was the first double podium with Johan first and Petter third. There’s a great history of motorsport in Mettet, with the likes of John Surtees, Sir Stirling Moss and Giacomo Agostini competing at the original street circuit.
Previous winners:
Johan Kristoffersson (2017)
Mattias Ekström (2016)
Toomas Heikkinen (2015)
Toomas Heikkinen (2014)
Closest international airport:
Brussels South Charleroi
Currency:
Euro
Capital city:
Brussels
Language (s):
Dutch, French, German,
Seriously… Belgian men are tall. Second tallest around, apparently. Your average male Belgian stands at 181.7cm, which is just 0.8cm shorter than the record holders: Holland.
R4. Speedmachine Festival World RX of Great Britain May 25-27
Speedmachine Festival World RX of Great Britain May 25-27
0.972km
40% asphalt/60% dirt
The first of two completely new circuits on the schedule for this year’s FIA World Rallycross Championship. Silverstone needs no introduction as one of the oldest and best known race tracks anywhere on planet earth – but the RX racers will use the Stowe circuit-based track. Designed last year, the track will pose a real challenge to the good and the great of World RX and there would be something very special about a Silverstone win…
Previous winners (at Lydden Hill):
Petter Solberg (2017)
Mattias Ekström (2016)
Petter Solberg (2015)
Andreas Bakkerud (2014)
Closest international airport:
London Heathrow
Currency:
Great British Pound
Capital city:
London
Language:
English
Seriously… It’s a question this time: what do William Shakespeare (wrote stuff), Sir Walter Raleigh (discovered stuff) and King Charles I (ruled stuff) have in common? They all had pierced ears.
R5. World RX of Norway June 8-10
World RX of Norway June 8-10
1.019km
63% asphalt/37% dirt
Welcome to; highway to; it’s frozen over… Hell: the headlines have all be sufficiently clichéd. And anyway, it’s a misnomer because the home of Norway’s World RX round is actually a heavenly mix of camber changes and undulations combining to make this one of the most entertaining circuits on the calendar. It’s also one Petter is more determined than ever to win this year, given that his name still doesn’t feature on the list of winners.
Previous winners:
Johan Kristoffersson (2017)
Andreas Bakkerud (2016)
Timmy Hansen (2015)
Reinis Nitišs (2014)
Closest international airport:
Trondheim
Currency:
Norwegian Krone
Capital city:
Oslo
Language:
Norwegian
Seriously… Norway is the world’s largest exporter of salmon. That was a bit short, OK, here’s another, the cheese slicer was invented in Norway. Not the grater, just the slicer.
R6. World RX of Sweden June 29-July
World RX of Sweden June 29-July 1
1.21km
60% asphalt/40% dirt
Welcome home. After 11 rounds touring planet earth, it’s nice to come home; the Höljes circuit sits just north of Torsby, that’s where we live. Sweden is, of course, a big deal for our super-Swede Johan – his win here last year ensured a truly magic weekend for us and our fans – but with the Norwegian border just a stone’s throw to the west, Petter gets that warm, fuzzy feeling here as well. That happens when 40,000 people are cheering for you.
Previous winners:
Johan Kristoffersson (2017)
Andreas Bakkerud (2016)
Mattias Ekström (2015)
Mattias Ekström (2014)
Closest international airport:
Oslo Gardermoen
Currency:
Swedish krona
Capital city:
Stockholm
Language:
Swedish
Seriously… Global furniture and lifestyle emporium Ikea was founded in Sweden in 1943. You knew that already, so: seriously… 1.83 million meatballs are eaten in Ikea stores around the world, every day.
R7. World RX of Canada August 3-5
World RX of Canada August 3-5
1.37km
60% asphalt/40% dirt
Taken by what they’d seen on the streets of Monte Carlo, a bunch of petrol-headed Quebecois decided to recreate a city centre race track in Trois-Rivières. The Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières has been an annual event since 1967 and World RX is now one of the headline events at the summertime race meeting. Like all street circuits, this is not a place to cut corners – metaphorically and literally. Canada and its atmospheric setting close to the St Lawrence River has quickly become a real favourite among the World RX hardcore.
Previous winners:
Johan Kristoffersson (2017)
Timmy Hansen (2016)
Davy Jeanney (2015)
Petter Solberg (2014)
Closest international airport:
Quebec City Jean Lesage International
Currency:
Canadian dollar
Capital city:
Ottawa
Language(s):
English, French
Seriously… Forget the Big Mac and the filet-o-fish is yesterday. The only sandwich to order in the Canadian golden arches is the McLobster. Nice.
R8. World RX of France August 31-September 2
World RX of France August 31-September 2
Every year, this sleepy corner of Brittany is transformed to a motorsport mecca. For one weekend, 75,000 fans descend on Lohéac to cheer for one man: Johan Kristoffersson. OK, two men, Johan and Petter. Fine! Three men: a couple of Nordics and a nice chap called Loeb. Sébastien Loeb. The world’s fastest and most famous Alsatian is a very big hit in this part of the world, but still it’s JK who arrives in France chasing a hat-trick.
Previous winners:
Johan Kristoffersson (2017)
Johan Kristoffersson (2016)
Timmy Hansen (2015)
Petter Solberg (2014)
Closest international airport:
Pleurtuit International
Currency:
Euro
Capital city:
Paris
Language:
French
Seriously… French toast isn’t French. And neither are French fries and the croissant was invented in Austria. Shocking.
R9. Neste World RX of Latvia September 14-16
World RX of France August 31-September 2
1.07km
33% asphalt/67% dirt
Every year, this sleepy corner of Brittany is transformed to a motorsport mecca. For one weekend, 75,000 fans descend on Lohéac to cheer for one man: Johan Kristoffersson. OK, two men, Johan and Petter. Fine! Three men: a couple of Nordics and a nice chap called Loeb. Sébastien Loeb. The world’s fastest and most famous Alsatian is a very big hit in this part of the world, but still it’s JK who arrives in France chasing a hat-trick.
Previous winners:
Johan Kristoffersson (2017)
Johan Kristoffersson (2016)
Timmy Hansen (2015)
Petter Solberg (2014)
Closest international airport:
Pleurtuit International
Currency:
Euro
Capital city:
Paris
Language:
French
Seriously… French toast isn’t French. And neither are French fries and the croissant was invented in Austria. Shocking.
R10. World RX of USA September 28-30
World RX of USA September 28-30
World RX makes its Stateside debut in Austin this year and The Circuit of the Americas is a fantastic place for the series to introduce itself. Plans to build the track were revealed in 2010, with construction completed in September 2012, two months out from the first Formula 1 race. The circuit was opened in style, with Mario Andretti lapping in the Lotus 79 he used to win his 1978 F1 title.
Previous winners:
Nobody. There’s never been one before.
Closest international airport:
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Currency:
US Dollar
Capital city:
Washington
Language:
English
Seriously… Flying into Dallas Fort Worth on the way to Austin? You’ll be interested to know it has the world’s largest car park. Even more seriously… the state of Montana has three times as many cows as people.
R11. World RX of Germany October 12-14
World RX of Germany October 12-14
0.925km
60% asphalt/40% dirt
Estering nestles just south-west of Hamburg in Germany’s far north and, for 51 weeks of the year, it’s a pretty steady kind of a place. But when World RX is in town, it’s the centre of any self-respecting RX fan’s universe. Petter won first time out here in 2014, but he hasn’t managed to repeat that success since, while Buxtehude’s never been the happiest of hunting grounds for Johan, who’s best result is a fourth place in 2015. One of the season’s shorter laps, but it’s all action – right from that infamous hairpin right at turn one.
Previous winners:
Mattias Ekström (2017)
Kevin Eriksson (2016)
Davy Jeanney (2015)
Petter Solberg (2014)
Closest international airport:
Hamburg Finkenwerder
Currency:
Euro
Capital city:
Berlin
Language:
German
Seriously… We love German autobahns, where 70 per cent of the time there’s no speed limit. But… a word of warning: run out of fuel at your peril. It’s illegal and you could lose your licence for six months.
R12. World RX of South Africa November 23-25
World RX of South Africa November 23-25
1.067km
60% asphalt/40% dirt
As backdrops go, Table Mountain’s not a bad one… last year’s season finale drew some of the most awe-inspiring vistas of the year as World RX returned FIA competition to Cape Town once more. And Johan took the opportunity to sign off a historic and gloriously successful 2017 in the most emphatic fashion, with a comprehensive victory. Petter just missed a season-long silver, taking the bronze with a vow to return this year for something a bit shinier and gold-looking…
Previous winner:
Johan Kristoffersson (2017)
Closest international airport:
Cape Town
Currency:
South African rand
Capital city:
Cape Town/Pretoria/Bloemfontein
Language:
Afrikaans, Northern Sotho, English, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Seriously… Penguins live in Cape Town. Don’t believe us? Head for Simon’s Town and meet South Africa’s only penguin species. They’re known as Jackass Penguins. Seriously.