Reinis Nitiss wins 2014 FIA World RX Championship in Hell

Reiniss Nitiss won round three of the FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX), behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta Supercar at the Hell circuit in Norway.

After a near-perfect-performance, the 18-year-old now leads the driver championship by three points over Petter Solberg who finished in second place. Coming in at third is World RX debutant Ken Block on-board his Hoonigan Racing Division Ford Fiesta.  

“This is amazing – just amazing.  I will not forget today – I was racing in front of two stars and finished ahead of a World Champion. Today is the 15 June and 15 is my racing car number – it is a number which brings me a lot of luck and this is the best feeling.  My aim at the start of the season was to finish in the top 12, I really didn’t imagine I could win today,” said Nitiss.

Citroen’s Solberg commended Nitiss’ victory who is more than 20 years his junior.  “I am very impressed with Reinis – he is young and put a lot of pressure on me today.  [He] really deserves this, he is very quick,” Solberg said.

Block expressed that he couldn’t be happier with the result of his World RX debut. “I really couldn’t be happier. This is my first time on a proper rallycross track and to finish the event alongside two great guys [Nitiss and Solberg] on the podium is awesome,” exclaimed Block.

Team Peugeot-Hansen drivers Timur Timerzyanov and Timmy Hansen were predicted as podium contenders, but the team’s decision to use Cooper’s wet tires proved costly as the track dried out. As a result, Timerzyanov finished in fourth while Hansen in sixth.

Henning Solberg, the older brother of Petter, rounded up the top five with his Saab 9-3 Supercar.