Monster Energy RX Cartel’s Andreas Bakkerud stormed to the quickest time in Q3 at the Spa World RX of Benelux, round three of the FIA World Rallycross Championship in a dramatic session held in dry conditions. 

Bakkerud took the hole shot into turn one of Q3 race 3, as behind the drama unfolded in a side by side race between Team Hansen MJP’s Timmy Hansen and GRX Taneco’s Timur Timerzyanov for the first full lap, the two drivers swapping places until Timerzyanov took his joker on lap two. After that, Hansen had a side by side battle over the jump with his brother Kevin, but it was Kevin who came out on top and was second quickest.

Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom, the 2016 FIA World Rallycross Drivers’ Champion, overtook EKS Sport’s Krisztian Szabo on lap one of Q3 race 2 and was third quickest, with Timerzyanov, GRX Taneco’s Joni Wiman and RX Cartel’s Liam Doran completing the top sixth. Overnight TQ Doran took the lead of Q3 race 4 but lost time in the joker lap on lap four and Wiman took the race win.

Sweden’s Oliver Eriksson was quickest in Q3 of the RX2 International Series, Finland’s Jesse Kallio was second and Norway’s Ben-Philip Gundersen was third.