Niclas Grönholm left Tierp at the top of the RallyX North standings after another composed and highly effective outing at the wheel of the Olsbergs-MSE-run FC2. With two more runner-up finishes on the Swedish circuit, the Finn continued his impressive start to the 2026 campaign.
The result was all the more notable given that the 29-year-old was making his first-ever appearance at the Tierp Arena. Despite his lack of experience at the venue, Grönholm quickly adapted to the fast and technical layout, bringing his tally to three podium finishes from just four appearances in the championship this season.
It also underlined the growing momentum behind the FC2 package developed by Olsbergs-MSE under the direction of Andreas Eriksson.
Rather than chasing outright pace from the outset, Grönholm approached the event with a more measured mindset, focusing on consistency and staying out of trouble on a circuit he was learning for the first time.
The approach paid off almost immediately. From the opening practice sessions, the 550bhp FC2 showed the pace required to challenge for top positions, while Grönholm once again demonstrated the adaptability that has increasingly become one of his trademarks in rallycross.
“I’m really happy with how the weekend went, especially with this unexpected championship lead,” Grönholm explained afterwards. “Right from the first practice sessions, we felt the FC2 had the pace to fight at the front.”
“The key to the weekend was getting the starts right, managing the joker laps properly and avoiding unnecessary incidents on track. A big thank you to GRX and Olsbergs-MSE for the car, and also to my father Marcus, who worked as my spotter for the second weekend in a row.”
Thanks to those results, Grönholm now leads the RallyX North standings on 49 points despite only contesting selected events this season alongside his commitments with GRX in the Finnish Rally Championship.
So far, all of his appearances in the series have come aboard the Olsbergs-MSE FC2, and the combination continues to build momentum. While victory has so far remained out of reach, Grönholm’s pace throughout the opening phase of the season has consistently established him among the leading contenders.
The future of his RallyX programme nevertheless remains uncertain. The Finn will not compete at the next round in Honkajoki due to a calendar clash with his Finnish Rally Championship commitments.
Still, the 2025 FIA World RX vice-champion is not ruling out a return later in the season.
“We don’t have any more RallyX races planned for the moment, but never say never,” he admitted. “My focus now shifts to the next Finnish Rally Championship round in Imatra, but we’ll see what the future brings.”
Marcus Grönholm, who spent the weekend in the spotters’ tower, was equally pleased with the performances delivered by his son.
The two-time World Rally Champion notably praised the discipline and maturity Niclas displayed throughout the event.
“It was really nice to be back in the spotters’ tower,” Marcus Grönholm explained. “Niclas was quick immediately and, like always, he managed to stay out of trouble and avoid getting dragged into unnecessary battles on track.
“He fully deserves this third podium finish in four races as well as the championship lead. If we come back to RallyX later this year and he keeps driving like this, then that first victory with the FC2 hopefully won’t be too far away.”