On Saturday, Reinis Nitišs overcame his qualification at the Biķernieki track in Riga in the fifth stage of the World Rally Cross Championship and secured participation in the semi-finals, but did not advance. The winner of the stage in the final race was the Swedish Johann Kristoferson. The second Latvian driver Jānis Baumanis is claiming a victory in the electric car class, where the first two qualifying races took place on Saturday.
(updated at the end of the competition)
In the sum of three qualifying races, Nitišs won 11th place and was among the 12 semi-finalists. In the semi-final race, Nitišs finished in 5th place, which was not enough to get among the finalists. The three fastest participants of the two semi-finals entered the final.
Final race in the world championship stage
Final race in the world championship stage7min
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Christopher certainly won the final race, taking the lead in the overall standings of the season. Matthias Extreme and Timmy Hansen also entered the top three, providing the entire podium for Sweden. The Swedes took five places in the top six.
Reinis Nitis’ trip in the semifinals
Reinis Nitis’ trip in the semifinals6min
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Nitišs started from the third row in the semi-final six-pilot competition and was already in the third position after a few turns of the track. In the second lap, Nitišs went to the joker lap, after which the fight continued in the fifth position and was no longer higher until the finish of the six-lap distance. The first three places and participation in the final were secured by Extreme, Finn Niklas Grenholm and Thijs Hansen.
Second semifinal race
Christopher was the fastest in the second semi-final, leaving compatriots Robin Larson and Kevin Hansen behind in the top three.
Interview with Reini Nitiss after the semifinals
Interview with Reini Nitiss after the semifinals2min
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Before the start of the semi-finals, Nitišs said that the qualification was considered more as a preparation for the decisive events and was hopeful. In turn, after the semi-final, Reinis admitted in an interview on Latvian Television that everything went well and there were also technical problems, therefore the 5th place corresponds to the real situation. He described the semi-final race as not bad, but will try to climb higher in the next stage on Sunday.
On the Bikernieki track, the winners in the “Supercar” class are determined in both the World Championships and the European Championships. The competition in the electric car test, where Jānis Baumanis starts, will be held separately.
During the World Championship stage, three qualifying races were held in one day, as well as semi-finals and finals. 12 pilots entered the semi-finals according to the points accumulated in the sum of three qualifying trips. In turn, only the first two qualifying races took place during the European Championship stage.
Reinis Nitis’ race in the first qualification
Reinis Nitis’ race in the first qualification4min
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In the first qualification, Nitišs was slow at the start and finished third in the race, leaving behind the Swedish Anton Marklund, who had experienced technical adversity. The fastest in the race was Grenholm, but the second was finished by Briton Liam Doran. Nitišs took the 11th place in the overall evaluation of the first qualification.
Reinis Nitis’ race in the second qualification
Reinis Nitis’ race in the second qualification5min
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In the second qualifying race, Nitišs crossed the finish line in third. In the start, he took second place behind Hungarian Christian Sabo and held on until the last turn of the last lap, where he returned to the track after the joker’s lap. A little faster was the German René Minnihs, finishing second after the convincing winner Sabo. In the second qualification, Nitišs took the 12th place, but in the sum he rose to the 10th position.
Interview with Rhine Niabs after the second qualification
Interview with Reini Nitis after the second qualifying trip1min
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Nitišs was not really satisfied with his performance in the first qualifications and in an interview on Latvian Television he expressed hope that he would do better in the third qualification.
Reinis Nitis’s trip in the third qualification
Reinis Nitis’s trip in the third qualification5min
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Nitišs started the third qualifying race in the most unfavorable starting place, but the pilot was able to advance to the third position. Nitišs took the lead until the end of the race, but unlike his competitors, he still had to make the joker lap. Although Anton Marklund finished first, Reinis retained the second position after the joker lap, improving his chances of reaching the semi-finals.
Interview with Reini Nitišu after the third qualification
Interview with Reini Nitis after the third qualification1min
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Nitišs said after the third qualification in an interview on Latvian Television that the car has yet to find the best technical regulations. The third trip was better, but there were also technical difficulties.
In the last qualification, Nitišs won 11th place and ranked in the same position in the overall qualification, the penultimate being among the semi-finalists.
Interview with Aigars Nitis
At the end of the day, Reinis Nitišs’ father and spotter in the race Aigars Nitišs expressed confidence that his son squeezed the maximum out of the car and defended his position from the follower in a more powerful vehicle in the semi-finals.
Jānis Baumanis’ first trip in “Projekt E” qualification
Four vehicles started in the electric car class “Projekt E”, and in the first qualification Baumanis reached the finish line convincingly first.
Interview with Jānis Bauman after the first qualification
After the first ride, Baumanis said that it was difficult on the track, because in a new car there is more excitement than in the usual environment, but at the same time very exciting. Baumanis thanked the fans who came to Biķernieki track, as well as invited to support both him and Reini Nitišs.
Jānis Baumanis’ second trip in “Projekt E” qualification
In the second qualifying race, Baumanis continued the fight in the second position after the start, in which he also finished behind the Frenchman Sirila Reimons. Two more qualifying races for electric car pilots are scheduled for Sunday, when the final will also take place. After the first two races, Baumanis is second with the same number of points as Reimon.
Interview with Jānis Bauman after the second qualification
Interview with Jānis Baumanis after the second trip2min
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After the first day of the race, Baumanis admitted that the start of the second race was not the most successful, but the mood of the race was real, despite the small number of participants in the electric car class.
Interview with Reini Nitišs before the race
Nitišs admitted in an interview on Latvian Television before the race that he had little time to get to know his Škoda Fabia vehicle, and the team was still trying to adjust the last nuances shortly before the race days. Nitišs emphasized that a successful start is very important in rallycross, where there are a lot of significant nuances.
Interview with Andris Bauman before the race
Jānis Baumanis’ father and spotter at the race Andris Baumanis said in a conversation on Latvian Television that there is no stress in the electric car test, because all four participants do not see the race as fierce competition, but as an opportunity to learn new technical possibilities. Andris Baumanis believes that next season his son could return to the “Supercar” class, which this season denied membership due to sponsorship problems Covid-19 crisis.
Interview with Jānis Bauman before the race
Jānis Baumanis, on the other hand, said that driving an electric car is different, but the smile on his face was an opportunity to try something new. Jānis estimates that adjusting the electric vehicle for the competition is simpler, but for the first time it has its own specifics.
Safety conditions in media work on Biķernieki track
The race on the Biķernieki track will take place in special epidemiological safety conditions, which prevent filming of what is happening in the technical area.
Another stage in Biķernieki is scheduled for Sunday, when the sixth stage of the world championship will take place. During the European Championship stage, only two qualifying races took place on Saturday and the fight for victory will continue on Sunday.
After five stages, the six highest positions in the overall ranking of the World Championship are held by Nordic motorists. The leader with 140 points is Christopher, followed by Extreme with 119 points.
The current schedule is to complete 10 stages of the World Cup, the last of which is scheduled for mid-December in the Nürburgring, Germany. LTV7 and replay.lv will be able to see the stages of the World Championship live.
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