The Portuguese André Sousa (Audi A1) today won the first victory of the season in the RX3 category of the European Championship of ralicrosse, during the first night journey in the history of the competition, played in Lousada.
© Jose Mendes / NurPhoto via Getty Images
13/09/2026
by
Lusa
Ralicrosis
Na final that featured four Portuguese pilots, André Sousa took the lead at the start and kept it until the end, finishing ahead of the Hungarians Libor Tejes (Audi A1) and Samuel Kovács (Skoda Fabia).
The triumph also represented the first podium of Portuguese this season, after having as best result a fifth place, allowing it to add 34 points and rise to the sixth rank of the championship.
“I have no words to describe this moment. It's the belief of everyone, of my team, of my family, of so many hours. And finally this happened”, said André Sousa, quoted by the organization.
In the main category, RX1, Swedish Johan Kristoffersson (VW) won for the third time in the season and began to lead European with 36 points of advantage over Norwegian Andreas Bakkerud (Ford Fiesta), when 40 remain to distribute.
Kristoffersson, eight-time world champion, finished ahead of Irish Patrick O’Donovan (Peugeot 208), who achieved the best result of the season, while Finnish Juha Rytkönen (Hyundai i20) completed the podium.
Bakkerud, who arrived in Portugal with a point of advantage over Kristoffersson, was eliminated in the quarterfinals, after suffering several holes throughout the journey, including one in the race in which he sought to ensure clearance for the half-finals.
None of the four European titles was decided on Saturday's day, so the champions of the categories RX1, RX3, RX4 and RX5 will be known on Sunday, in the seventh and final round of the season, again at the Lousada International Circuit.