Trois-Rivières, an atypical World RX event

After a few weeks of break, the World Championship of rallycross (World RX) will contest its seventh round of the 2018 season near Trois-Rivières (Canada). The Quebec meeting has a certain atmosphere which makes this meeting different from the rest of the calendar.

The Trois-Rivières Grand Prix was born in 1967 from the will of a few motorsport enthusiasts, who wanted to create a Monaco Grand Prix in the second oldest city in Quebec (founded in 1634). Over time, this event has hosted the Formula Atlantic, the Indy Lights, but also theEndurance with the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and the Canadian version of the Nascar.

Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada
Circuit Length – 1.351km
Track Record – 00:48.009 (Kristoffersson)
Tarmac/Gravel – 59%:41%
2017 Winner – Johan Kristoffersson

More Details: https://t.co/2IpozVYp0U#CanadaRX #WorldRX pic.twitter.com/byMicJOfYi

— FIA World Rallycross (@FIAWorldRX) August 2, 2018

In 2014, the GP3R (its official name) carried out major work to host the World RX. For the occasion, part of the city's racecourse is dedicated to the dirt section of the circuit with the passage of the Joker lap. The route, 1,351 km long is the longest of the season and also features the longest straight.

“The start is particularly decisive at Trois-Rivières, because it is followed by a very long straight line where it is possible to reach speeds of over 200 km/h, explains Kenneth Hansen, Team Principal of Peugeot . It's also a race where strategy can make a big difference. » The other special feature is the Thursday evening parade. The competitors stroll around and sign autographs in the heart of the city, on the banks of the Saint-Laurent River.

Before the 2018 weekend (August 4-5), look back at the four editions of World RX in Canada:

2014
For the championship's first excursion outside of Europe, Petter Solberg takes his private Citroën DS3 to victory taking the lead from the first turn. Stage local Patrick Carpentier slips into the regular entertainers in the final.

2015
A very nice memory for Davy Jeanney (Peugeot). The Frenchman scored his second victory that year, despite strong pressure from Toomas Heikkinen (Volkswagen). A few months later he would sign his best result at world level (5th).

2016
Another success for the Hansen team, but in a more incredible way. Eliminated at the end of the semi-finals, Timmy Hansen is recalled in disaster by race management after Timur Timerzyanov (Ford) was downgraded for repeated strollers. Starting last, he managed to come back as the race progressed to win what remained since his last success in World RX.

Outside the TV camera, an extremely violent accident involved Anton Marklund (Volkswagen) and Petter Solberg (Citroën) just after the finish. The Polo, losing brakes, hits the back of the DS3 (which is moving in slow motion) at 145 km/h. Stunned, the Norwegian was taken to hospital but suffered no injuries.

2017
A sign of Volkswagen's domination, Johan Kristoffersson takes his Polo GTi to the top of the podium from pole position. The one who will become world champion at the end of the year is ahead of his teammate Petter Solberg and the nine-time world rally champion (WRC), Sebastian Loeb (Peugeot).

The semi-finals and the final of the World RX in Trois-Rivières will be followed live on La Chaîne L'Équipe on Sunday evening at 20 p.m.