CE Dealer Team and Niclas Grönholm starts 2023 FIA World RX season on the podium
CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment started its ground-breaking second season of the all-electric FIA World Rallycross Championship with a podium finish.
Niclas Grönholm took his 100% electric PWR RX1e race car to third place, scoring his fifth consecutive FIA World RX podium, as team-mate Klara Andersson finished in the top five during the Portuguese curtain raiser.
Niclas Grönholm showed his FIA World RX title ambitions right from the start by winning his first heat of the weekend at the legendary Montalegre circuit.
He then progressed to start from the front row in the weekend final and the Finnish star was fighting for the win, but had to settle for third following a challenging start.
”I am happy to start the season with a podium and how the team worked so hard all weekend. We have once again had a weekend with a lot of ups and downs. I was hoping to finish a bit higher, but I guess this was what we deserved. It was great to get a 1-2 in the semi-final in front of our guest and partners together with Klara. In Norway, we will try to go for an even stronger and more consistent weekend,” said Niclas Grönholm.
Klara Andersson was competitive from the start, winning one heat on her way to the semi-final where she finished second behind Niclas Grönholm.
The Swedish rallycross ace would go on to finish fifth, after getting caught on the outside of turn one in the eventful final.
”I felt like we did a good job this weekend. I developed and progressed a lot, but I still have so much to learn. I want to thank the team and Jussi for really pushing me this weekend. I am happy with my overtake in the final, it was a nice one. It was quite difficult after turn one, it’s really challenging on the outside line there. I am still happy, we did our best, and now I am super excited for the next race in Norway,” said Klara Andersson.
A solid points haul in Portugal sees CE Dealer Team sharing second place in the teams’ championship ahead of round two which will take place in Hell, Norway, in two weeks’ time.
”While it’s good to start the season with a podium finish, it’s not exactly what we wanted. We still have work to do. Overall, I think we have taken steps forward, and it feels good to have both cars in the final. It’s just two weeks until Norway, and we really need to put our heads together to see where we can find a bit more speed. Rest assured that we won’t leave any stone unturned as we continue to push forward,” said Jussi Pinomäki, Team Manager of CE Dealer Team.
Results and standings after the FIA World RX of Portugal.
Images from FIA World RX of Portugal.
Media contact information
Johan Meissner
CE Dealer Team
+46(0)70 241 3234
media@pwrgrp.com
About CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment
CE Dealer Team was founded in 2022 by the PWR Group in cooperation with Volvo Construction Equipment and its partners. The core goal of the rallycross programme is to drive the shift to improved sustainability and diversity in society and highlight the excitement that a move to an electric future offers. CE Dealer Team is run with support from independent dealers of Volvo Construction Equipment, along with several prominent industrial partners, who together share a commitment to leading a sustainable future, both on track and off.
About FIA World Rallycross Championship
The FIA World Rallycross Championship is one of six official World Championship in motorsport alongside Formula 1 and World Rally Championship. The championship runs on seven venues across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Rallycross is a combination of rallying and circuit racing. It is head-to-head short, sharp races on mixed surfaces (dirt and asphalt) contained within amphitheatre venues. In the headlining FIA World Rallycross Championship, high-profile drivers are equipped with fully electric RX1 cars producing over 600bhp and the ability to accelerate from 0-100km/h in less than two seconds – faster than a Formula 1 car.
