{"id":81497,"date":"2026-05-13T11:08:13","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T11:08:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/81497\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T11:08:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T11:08:13","slug":"euro-rx-of-latvia-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/81497\/","title":{"rendered":"EURO RX OF LATVIA PREVIEW"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rallycross returns with a bang this weekend, as the FIA European Rallycross Championship launches its 2026 season at the iconic Bikernieki Circuit on 9\u201310 May.<\/p>\n

\"FIA<\/p>\n

Following the winter break, Riga marks the beginning of a new era for European Rallycross: with new categories, expanded grids and an ongoing\u00a0focus on close, competitive racing, anticipation is high as the field prepares to go wheel-to-wheel for the first time this year.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Euro RX1, a 30-strong grid –\u00a0the largest for an opening round in almost a decade –\u00a0sets the stage for a spectacular fight from the outset.\u00a0Johan Kristoffersson\u00a0headlines the field, as the eight-time World \u00a0Champion returns to elite Rallycross competition aiming to stamp his authority early. Standing in his way is a formidable list of contenders, including three-time European champion\u00a0Andreas Bakkerud\u00a0and 2024 Euro RX1 title-winner\u00a0Patrick O’Donovan.<\/p>\n

The depth of the field is further underlined by proven race winners such as\u00a0Ole Christian Veiby\u00a0and\u00a0Juha Rytk\u00f6nen, alongside home favourite\u00a0J\u0101nis Baumanis, who will carry strong local support into the weekend. Meanwhile, rising stars including\u00a0Damian Litwinowicz,\u00a0Joni Turpeinen\u00a0and\u00a0Martin Enlund\u00a0are all tipped to challenge at the front in what promises to be an ultra-competitive field.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In\u00a0Euro RX3, the spotlight falls on a new generation of talent eager to make their mark. Noteworthy drivers include last year\u2019s front-runner\u00a0Rytis Gurklys, alongside consistent contenders such as\u00a0Libor Teje\u0161\u00a0and\u00a0Nicolas Geleyns. Young prospects like\u00a0Julien Meunier\u00a0and exciting challengers including\u00a0Dylan Dufas\u00a0add further range to a category renowned for producing future stars.
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New for 2026, the\u00a0Euro RX4 and Euro RX5\u00a0categories introduce a fresh wave of emerging talent to the championship. With strong entry numbers and a broad mix of nationalities, both categories are set to deliver intense, closely fought racing and provide a clear pathway for the next generation of Rallycross drivers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

James Nixon, FIA Category Manager – Off Road and Hillclimb, said: “After months of preparation, it\u2019s fantastic to finally arrive at the start of the 2026 FIA European Rallycross Championship. Over the winter, we have worked hard to deliver a Championship that both drivers and fans can truly engage with, while also beginning an important journey with the introduction of two new grassroots categories – designed to develop the champions of the future.<\/p>\n

The response from teams has been extremely positive, and the level of competition we\u2019ve seen in testing suggests that this could be one of the most competitive seasons in recent years – and Bikernieki is the perfect venue to begin this journey.”<\/p>\n

Pre-season testing at Bikernieki last week offered an early glimpse of what\u2019s to come, with drivers and teams highlighting the circuit\u2019s technical demands and the extremely close performance margins across the field. With 68 drivers entered across all categories, the competitive intensity is expected to be high from the very first session.
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As one of Rallycross\u2019 most respected venues, Bikernieki provides the perfect stage to open the season. Fast, technical and unforgiving, the Latvian circuit has a history of producing unpredictable racing and dramatic moments \u2014 a trend that looks set to continue as the 2026 campaign gets underway.<\/p>\n

All rounds of the 2026 FIA Rallycross European Championship will be\u00a0LIVE\u00a0and\u00a0FREE\u00a0to watch on the\u00a0FIA Rallycross YouTube channel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

FAST FACTS<\/p>\n

\"EURO40% GRAVEL \/ 60% TARMAC
\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2771\u00a0Historic Rallycross Venue:
Set within a forest on the outskirts of Riga,\u00a0Bikernieki Circuit\u00a0is Latvia\u2019s only permanent motor racing circuit and one of the most distinctive venues on the rallycross calendar. First opened in 1966, it has long been a cornerstone of Baltic motorsport and a regular host of FIA European and World Rallycross events.<\/p>\n

\u2771\u00a0Revival & Modern Era:
Recent redevelopment at the Bi\u0137ernieki circuit, including resurfacing works and key safety upgrades, have further strengthened its reputation as one of Europe\u2019s leading Rallycross venues.<\/p>\n

\u2771\u00a0Multi-Layout Complex:
Bikernieki was conceived as a versatile motorsport hub, featuring multiple configurations including the \u201cSpeed Ring\u201d and \u201cRing of Skill\u201d, which can be combined into a longer circuit. Today\u2019s Rallycross layout incorporates elements of these historic designs, blending legacy with modern race demands.<\/p>\n

\u2771\u00a0More Than Motorsport:
Beyond racing, the Bikernieki complex remains active year-round. The circuit is regularly used by runners, cyclists and rollerbladers, while in winter it transforms into a cross-country skiing venue – highlighting its role as a central sporting hub in Latvia.<\/p>\n

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DRIVERS TO WATCH<\/p>\n

\"2026_fiaeuro_riga_test_241\"<\/p>\n

\u2771\u00a0EURO RX1:\u00a0All eyes will be on\u00a0Johan Kristoffersson, as the eight-time world champion returns to elite Rallycross competition aiming to assert early dominance. He is joined by former European Champions Andreas Bakkerud\u00a0and\u00a0Patrick O’Donovan, both expected to be firmly in the fight from the outset.\u00a0A strong supporting cast adds further intrigue, including race winners\u00a0Ole Christian Veiby\u00a0and\u00a0Juha Rytk\u00f6nen, while home favourite\u00a0J\u0101nis Baumanis\u00a0will be a key figure backed by passionate local support.<\/p>\n

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\"2026_fiaeuro_riga_test_260\"<\/p>\n

\u2771\u00a0EURO RX3:\u00a0A new wave of contenders looks set to shine in what is expected to be an even more competitive field in 2026. After almost taking the RX3 crown last season, Rytis Gurklys\u00a0returns aiming to challenge for the title from the outset, while\u00a0Libor Teje\u0161\u00a0will target consistent podium finishes after a promising campaign in 2025.\u00a0Nicolas Geleyns\u00a0enters his third season with ambitions of stepping onto the top step, as\u00a0Dylan Dufas\u00a0looks to translate extensive winter development into results on track.<\/p>\n

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2026 SEASON PREVIEW<\/p>\n

\n Video of Everything You Need to Know About FIA Rallycross 2026 | FIA Rallycross\n<\/p>\n

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BROADCAST TIMINGS<\/p>\n

\"Latvia<\/p>\n

For high resolution imagery click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Rallycross returns with a bang this weekend, as the FIA European Rallycross Championship launches its 2026 season at…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":81498,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[91],"tags":[43335,43332,18117,43331,7250,43330,43339,43338,2808,32554,11157,43333,8772,43337,169,1301,43323,20258,43334,28839,35076,168,4604,43336,43326,43324,43325,43329,43328,43327],"class_list":{"0":"post-81497","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-riga","8":"tag-action-for-road-safety","9":"tag-circuit","10":"tag-connectivity","11":"tag-eprix","12":"tag-f1","13":"tag-fe","14":"tag-fia","15":"tag-fia-president","16":"tag-formula-1","17":"tag-formula-e","18":"tag-formula-one","19":"tag-hill-climb","20":"tag-historic","21":"tag-jean-todt","22":"tag-latvia","23":"tag-mobility","24":"tag-motor-sport","25":"tag-motorsport","26":"tag-off-road","27":"tag-rally","28":"tag-rallycross","29":"tag-riga","30":"tag-road-safety","31":"tag-todt","32":"tag-touring-car","33":"tag-wec","34":"tag-world-endurance-championship","35":"tag-world-rallycross","36":"tag-world-rx","37":"tag-wtcc"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@dk\/116566956807516396","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}