Scheider top qualifier in Barcelona

Norway’s Andreas Bakkerud set the fastest time in Q4 at the opening round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship in Barcelona to secure a front-row start in the semi-finals this afternoon, as Germany’s Timo Scheider finished as Top Qualifier at the Intermediate Classification and will start on pole positon in semi-final one.

Bakkerud will join reigning World RX Champion Mattias Ekstrom on the front row of the grid in semi-final two, as Sweden’s Johan Kristoffersson has claimed the first ever front-row semi-final start for the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team.

Double Champion Petter Solberg set the second fastest time in Q4 after a close race with countryman Bakkerud and will line up on the second row in semi-final one next to Finland’s Topi Heikkinen. All three of the EKS Audi S1 RX quattros have made it into the semi-finals, Latvia’s Reinis Nitiss will start in semi-final two.

In Team Peugeot-Hansen, two of the squad’s three Peugeot 208 WRX drivers will start in the semi-finals, Sweden’s Timmy Hansen on the second row of semi-final two and reigning FIA European Rallycross Champion Kevin Hansen on the third row of semi-final one. France’s Sebastien Loeb won his race in Q4 but didn’t make it into the top 12.

Britain’s Guy Wilks and France’s Jean-Baptiste Dubourg will both start in semi-final two, on rows two and three respectively.

In the FIA European Rallycross Championship, Sweden’s Anton Marklund and Robin Larsson will share the front row of the grid in semi-final one as Norway’s Thomas Bryntesson and Alexander Hvaal will start on the front row of semi-final two.

Source: http://www.fiaworldrallycross.com/