Round 8: World RX of France, Lohéac (F)

Date: September 1–2, 2018
Track: Circuit de Lohéac, 30 km south of Rennes
Track length: 1.070 km (Joker Lap: 1.090 km)
Surface: 33 % tarmac, 67 % gravel
Turns: 2 left, 5 right
Longest jump: approx. 22 m
Top speed: approx. 168 km/h
Lap record: Johan Kristoffersson (S), 35.994s (2018)
Average speed: approx. 106.72 km/h
Winner in 2018: Johan Kristoffersson (S), 3m 44.787s

Race facts
There is no other event in the World RX that attracts more spectators than the round at Lohéac. In recent years, the natural stands were jam-packed with some 75,000 spectators. The impressive backdrop and knowledgeable audience in the “rallycross country of France” provide the drivers with an extra motivation boost. The track is basically a classic circuit because the gravel is very hard. It is made up almost exclusively of fast sections with a number of good overtaking opportunities. Spectacular are the long parallel run on the normal route and the Joker Lap where the drivers battle for positions while a large concrete wall temporarily separates the opponents from each other.

2018 flashback
A thrilling race weekend with a decision on the final meters: In round eight of the FIA World Rallycross Championship season, Andreas Bakkerud and Mattias Ekström just barely missed scoring the first victory this season for EKS Audi Sport, but regained second place in the teams’ classification in front of 80,000 enthusiastic fans. Both Audi drivers started to the final from the front row. Andreas Bakkerud took the lead in front of Ekström. The Audi drivers defended their top two positions up until the final lap. However, on returning from the Joker lap, Bakkerud had to get in line between Johan Kristoffersson and Petter Solberg (both Volkswagen) and missed victory by a mere 0.34 seconds. Mattias Ekström took position four.