EKSTROM MAKES IT THREE IN A ROW AT HOCKENHEIM

Mattias Ekstrom has taken his third straight win of the year after securing victory in difficult conditions at the 2017 World RX of Hockenheim. The EKSRX driver made his way quietly through Qualifying for the third round of the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship to end up in fourth place overall and taking a front row spot in Semi-Final Two alongside Timmy Hansen.

In greasy track conditions, Ekstrom took the lead on the final lap and the win in his Audi Quattro S1 to be on the front row for the Final alongside Johan Kristoffersson.

As the drivers struggled for grip off the line, Ekstrom took the lead into the very slippery turn one and managed to stay there as the others battled for position before heading off into the dirt section of the circuit.

Kristoffersson, who had spent most of the weekend battling with the former DTMchampion and looking to be favourite for the overall win, was close on his tail in the opening laps.

Behind this tussle for the lead came Hansen ahead of Petter Solberg in the second PSRX Volkswagen Team Sweden car, followed by Topi Heikkinen and Sebastien Loeb, who had elected to start on wet tyres after a difficult Semi-Final race.

Loeb was seen as another favourite to win the event after his dominance in the drier Qualifying conditions, however he struggled for grip and pace as he fought with both Solberg and Heikkinen.

Ekstrom extended his lead as further back Hansen took his joker on lap three. As he merged back onto the track, the Peugeot-Hansen driver held off Solberg to keep third place. Kristoffersson also took his joker on the third lap, however he was unable to hold off Ekstrom as he kept the lead after taking his joker on lap four.

Ekstrom stayed in front to take the win ahead of Kristoffersson and Hansen, with Solberg coming home in fourth place ahead of Loeb and Heikkinen.

In the Drivers Championship, Mattias Ekstrom leads on 85 points ahead of Johan Kristoffersson with 69 points and Petter Solberg who completes the top three on 62 points.

In the Teams Championship, PSRX Volkswagen Team Sweden hold the top position with 131 points with EKSRX in second place on 114 points. Team Peugeot-Hansenhold third place on 95 points.

There are only a few days break now until the next round of World RX, which takes place at the Mettet circuit in Belgium next weekend.

The 2017 World RX of Belgium will see a packed weekend of action with the return of the FIA European Super1600 Rallycross Championship, the FIA European Rallycross Championship for Touring Cars and the start of the 2017 RX2 International Series.