Double World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm says “it’s important that World Rallycross gets it right in 2025” ahead of this weekend’s season opener in Lousada, Portugal.
The 57-year-old switched to rallycross after retiring from WRC in 2007. He founded the GRX World Rallycross team in 2017, competing with a Hyundai i20 N until withdrawing in 2021.
His son Niclas now races for the Volvo CE Dealer Team in an all-electric, 680-horsepower RX1e car. The 29-year-old has scored two of his eight World RX victories using electric power.
EVs aren’t the problem facing World RX
Grönholm dismisses criticism that electric vehicles have hurt the championship’s popularity.
“A lot of people think that the move to EV is to blame for World RX becoming less popular, but I don’t think that’s the case,” he explains. “The instant power, torque, and grip you get from an EV really lends itself to the short format of rallycross.”
He sees value in the current format mixing electric and internal combustion engine cars.
“I think when they race against the internal combustion engine cars in the ‘Battle of Technologies’, that’s interesting for the spectators to watch, because no other championship has this. Some fans really love the pops and the bangs from the ICEs and others really enjoy the tech with the EVs.”
Free streaming returns to boost viewership
TV coverage presents the biggest challenge for World RX’s revival. When WRC Promoter managed the series, races moved behind a paywall buried within the WRC website.
World RX confirmed today that races will return to free YouTube streaming under FIA management.
“I think TV is crucial,” Grönholm says. “Now the FIA is in charge, they need to open it up so people can easily watch online.”
“As it was in the last few years, it was quite difficult to watch for people who are getting old like me, because it was difficult to find! If they can make it easy access like in the past though, that would really help get people interested.”
He acknowledges the financial challenge of producing quality coverage without subscription revenue.
New rules level the playing field
Off-season regulation changes aim to close the gap between electric and combustion-powered cars. The FIA introduced ‘Equivalence of Technology’ rules for performance parity.
Teams running electric cars now have more freedom adjusting differential settings – previously restricted. Hoosier will supply softer tire compounds across the championship.
“The opening of the regulations means that the teams can play around with the diffs on the EVs, and Niclas told me that his team has improved their car from last year,” Grönholm notes.
Johan Kristofferson won his seventh championship in 2024 driving an ICE-powered Volkswagen Polo. The Swede has captured all but four drivers’ titles since World RX began in 2014.
Grönholm sees an opening to challenge Kristofferson’s dominance.
“The thing with the EV rallycross cars, is that they’re very good off the start because of the electric motors. Unlike with an ICE car, you don’t worry about having enough pressure in the turbo, you just floor the throttle and go.”
Electric advantage at the starting line
Start procedures could prove crucial in the championship battle.
“We’ve seen over the years that Johan is very good at starts, so he just rockets away and usually disappears in to the distance,” Grönholm explains. “A couple of times last year though, we saw that when he’s not starting at the front, he doesn’t have the life so easy – especially in the rain and mud.”
The Finnish champion believes electric cars can mount a serious title challenge.
“I’m looking forward to what happens during this World RX season, and I have a feeling that it’s really possible the electric cars can bring him some big competition.”
While this weekend’s grid may be smaller than ideal, Grönholm expects teams to rejoin from round two onwards.
“I think the quality of the racing will see more cars and teams rejoin the sport from the second round onwards – then we will get proper heats, proper qualifying sessions, a proper finals and semi-finals. At least that’s what I’m hoping, as it seems a long time since those days.”
