Round 3: World RX of Belgium, Mettet (B)

Date: May 12–13, 2018
Track: Circuit Jules Tacheny, 80 km southeast of Brussels
Track length: 1.031 km (Joker Lap: 1.102 km)
Surface: 61 % tarmac, 39 % gravel
Turns: 6 left, 6 right
Longest jump: approx. 23 m
Top speed: approx. 170 km/h
Lap record: Timmy Hansen (S), 38.375s (2018)
Average speed: approx. 97.48 km/h
Winner in 2018: Sébastien Loeb (F), 4m 05.108s

Race facts
Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet is well-known to EKS Audi Sport, not only because this is where the team has competed in four previous World RX rounds. The squad also frequently books the track 80 kilometers southeast of Brussels for tests. Its layout clearly differs from other tracks – posing high technical challenges with a number of zig-zag turns and significant vertical differences. On top of that, there is a jump into the valley that cannot be seen before the crest and that requires as much courage as the narrow first turn. Many hopes for top positions have been buried there in the tire wall.

2018 flashback
EKS Audi Sport in round three of the FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX) in Belgium experienced some turbulent races with ups and downs. Mattias Ekström, who was leading the intermediate classification after qualifying at the challenging Circuit Jules Tacheny in the 580-hp Audi S1 EKS RX quattro, finished fourth, just barely missing the podium. His teammate, Andreas Bakkerud, on delivering a strong fight made it into the final as well, placing sixth.