Trailing Maiko Tamm by around 20 points in the RallyX championship standings ahead of the penultimate round of the 2025 season at Nysum, Ulrik Linnemann managed to turn the tables and claim the first major title of his rallycross career.
His trip to Germany last weekend, however, was anything but smooth. Just a week earlier in Denmark, the VW Polo driver had scored an impressive 55 points out of a possible 60, but Estering presented him with a chaotic and nerve-wracking scenario.
After winning the first two qualifying heats in Race 1, a dramatic rollover in Q3 could have ruined everything. Still, Linnemann recovered, salvaging valuable points with a fifth-place finish just hours later.
The following day, everything appeared under control. Holding an 18-point advantage over Maiko Tamm, the Danish driver needed only a top-five result after qualifying to secure the championship. On paper, the title was within reach.
But motorsport rarely follows the script. A 14th time in Q1, followed by retirement in Q2, left Linnemann languishing in 16th overall heading into Q3—where only the top 12 would progress to the semi-finals. The pressure was suffocating.
“This season has been really special. We’ve had problems all year, especially with the engine. And nothing came easy at this final race in Buxtehude,” Linnemann admitted afterwards.
“In Race 2, I really thought my title hopes were slipping away. After retiring in Q2, I was convinced I was about to lose not only first place but maybe even second in the championship standings.”
Linnemann just about kept his season alive, clocking the fourth-fastest time in Q3 to grab the very last semi-final slot. But he knew how close he had come to losing everything.
“Thankfully, we got a bit of help from some drivers in the paddock. One of them even slowed deliberately after the finish line so we’d have a little extra time to get the car fixed for Q3. The geometry was far from perfect, but it was enough to make the cut. That was a huge relief. After my Q3 run, I was devastated because I thought it wouldn’t be enough. Honestly, I was in tears, so sure that the championship was slipping away.”
From there, however, the momentum shifted. The semi-final allowed Linnemann to finally put his stamp on the 2025 season, securing the points he needed to seal the championship. The final itself, by contrast, descended into chaos—only two of the six starters actually made it to the finish.
Crossing the line second behind Viktor Vranckx, Linnemann could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
“The semi-final went perfectly, but once we got to the final, it turned into complete madness,” the Danish driver laughed.
“I just tried to avoid the crashes at the start. I came out of the first corner in fifth, but after that, it turned into mayhem. I was hit from every direction and had to literally crawl the car over the finish line, it was so badly damaged. To come away with the title, to achieve something like this at Supercar level, it’s honestly a dream come true.”
“I have no words to describe this final weekend, or the season as a whole. In the end, we achieved our goals. Of course, I would have loved to celebrate the title with a race win, but given the circumstances, lifting the RallyX championship trophy means absolutely everything to me.”