Kalliokoski on top as day one in Riga winds down

Robin Larsson set the early pace by going fastest in FP1, trailed by Ulrik Linnemann and Jere Kalliokoski with championship leader Eriksson down in ninth after an early exit from the weekend’s opening session. Eriksson soon bounced back in FP2 to go fastest ahead of Kalliokoski while Larsson and Linnemann missed out on valuable track time.

It was the best possible start to qualifying for Kalliokoski, who won his heat and set the fastest time in Q1. Philip Gehrman impressed with a heat win and finished second overall along with Andreas Carlsson in third. Olsbergs MSE drivers Linnemann and Eriksson made contact with Larsson at the first corner of their heat, which resulted in both Hondas spinning, hampering the Audi’s overall time – a less than ideal start to the weekend for some of the main championship protagonists.

Meanwhile, in Supercar Lites, home hero Vasiliy Gryazin dominated both practice sessions ahead of Sondre Evjen and Ben-Philip Gundersen in FP1, the JC Raceteknik drivers positions were reversed in the second session.

The first qualifying round saw Gryazin win his heat by a massive seven seconds, however, the overall times were much closer with the ever-present JC drivers of Gundersen – one second off – and Evjen, two seconds off the pace. Heat two winner Simon Olofsson was eighth fastest overall, confirming the grid’s competitiveness.

Isac Egonsson led the way in both CrossCar practice sessions before Isak Riersen took charge and ended Q1 fastest, closely followed by compatriots Jimmie Österberg and Egonsson with championship leader, Nils Andersson fourth fastest.

Rasmus Tuominen looked set to continue his Nysum form going quickest in both RX Academy practice sessions and cemented his place at the top with the fastest Q1 time, while local man Roberts Vitols won his heat on route to the second quickest time overall.