The Johan Kristofferson show rolls on to this weekend’s Neste World RX of Latvia.

Kristofferson, the FIA World Rallycross Championship points leader, endured a series of poor starts at the World RX of France earlier this month but was able to overcome adversity in the final to pick up his seventh win of the season. 

A native of Sweden, Kristofferson held off fellow countryman Mattias Ekström in last year’s race around Latvia’s 1,295-meter, state-of-the-art rallycross circuit. 

With two-thirds of the season now complete, Kristofferson leads the points standings with 224 points, 59 points ahead of Andreas Bakkerud, who is second in the standings entering the Latvia race weekend. 

Bakkerud came within grasps of claiming his first win of the season, in France, but fell just short, as Kristofferson crossed the finish line just under two seconds ahead of the Norway native.

Bakkerud, who is in his debut season as an EKS Audi Sport driver, has now finished on the podium in four of the eight races ran in 2018 and comes to Latvia with plenty of confidence. 

For 2014 and 2015 title winner Petter Solberg, Latvia has brought the Norwegian plenty of disappointment over the years.

The race in Latvia is the only event on the calendar at which Solberg, who placed third in France earlier this month and sits third in the points standings entering this weekend, has not reached the final race in his career. 

Ekström, last year’s runner-up finisher, is fifth in the points standings and has struggled so far this season. When the series stopped in Latvia in 2017, the Swede had already earned three wins. This season, however, Ekström has yet to reach a podium, with his best finish being fourth, which he achieved four times in 2018. 

While Ekström is vying to secure his first win in 2018, Janis Baumanis would love nothing more than to win this weekend in front of his home nation. 

“(The) Neste World RX of Latvia will be the most spectacular race weekend in my motorsport career,” said Baumanis, who grew up just minutes from the track in Riga. 

“Ever since last year’s event, I have been looking forward to seeing the massive crowd at the Bikernieki circuit again. For me, this round is unquestionably the highlight of the year, and I cannot wait to be there.”

By Colton Wood