- Grönholm back for more after highs and lows at 2020’s ‘Magic Weekend’
- World RX event winner bolsters impressive RallyX Nordic Höljes entry list
- Double Euro RX Super1600 Champion Krisztián Szabó to race for Gronholm RX at double-header
World RX event winner Niclas Grönholm has entered the fray for the RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires double-header at Höljes, Sweden in just over a week’s time (13-16 May).
The Finn returns to RallyX Nordic after competing in last year’s ‘Magic Weekend’ and claiming a third-place finish at the opening race of the season. The second of 2020’s Höljes rounds, however, would see Grönholm as top qualifier before being cruelly denied a chance of victory after an issue on the start line in his semi-final.
The 24-year-old already has a huge amount of experience at world championship level, having won three World RX events – one of which was at his home race in Finland last season.
The stage is now set for Grönholm to lock horns with fellow World RX competitor Johan Kristoffersson, who sits atop the points standings after the opening two rounds at Nysum in Denmark.
Grönholm said: “I’m looking forward to the RallyX Nordic race at Höljes, it’s a track I enjoy driving on. We did that race last year and it was pretty competitive – I expect it to be the same this year too.
“We have some small things on the car we would like to test, and what better way to do that than in a race against some good drivers and cars. It’s going to be interesting to get racing again after a long break, so it’s going to be very exciting.”
Jussi Pinomaki, Grönholm RX Team Manager added: “There hasn’t been any racing for a long time now, but we have been home working to try and be able to continue on the path we have been on for the last few years now.
“We’re doing the RallyX Nordic race to try some things out with the cars and drivers, and then we will see what happens for the rest of the year. We got a lot out of racing in the RallyX Nordic event at Höljes last year, even if the results didn’t go the way we wanted the whole weekend, we learned a lot and we want to do more of the same next week too.”
Krisztián Szabó, meanwhile, will make his RallyX Nordic debut alongside Grönholm at Höljes. The Hungarian raced in several World RX events in 2020 at the wheel of a Grönholm RX-prepared car. The 28-year-old won back-to-back Euro RX Super1600 titles in 2016 and 2017 and finished second in the French round of the FIA European Championship in 2018.
Szabó commented: “I can’t wait for Höljes, it’s been a long time since I was sitting in a race car. I’m really happy to continue working with Grönholm RX for the weekend.
“I’m doing the race to get in form, so I am ready for whenever and whatever happens in the future. It’s always good to train, and to train with a proper Supercar against proper opponents is a great way to do that.”
Following on from rounds three and four at Höljes (13-16 May), RallyX Nordic is set for another double-header at OuluZone in Finland (5-6 June) before concluding at Arvika in Sweden (13-15 August).
Keep up to date on race day with live, free-to-air broadcasts at tv.rallyx.se.
