31 March 2025, Stefano & Ronalds

What can I say, the real rallycross is back! 
An exciting weekend with many drivers registered for the first two rounds of the rallyx championship in Portugal (Montalegre).

We followed the Rallyx Nordic Championship in 2023 and we immediately fell in love, in 2025 Eriksson (RallyX promoter) decided to create a championship not only for the nordic countries but for the whole world!

This debut in Portugal was a success, battles, accidents and above all a great level in all categories! 

In the main 4WD Open category, Saturday's victory went to the determined Danish driver Ulrik Linnemann, who, less than a week prior, had suffered an engine failure. Refusing to give up, he made it to the starting line and secured the win. Meanwhile, Sunday's chaotic 4WD final saw the rapid autocross driver Nathan Ottink claim victory (Supercar AM), his first in the prestigious Rally X championship, achieving this remarkable feat at just 18 years old.

However, since this page is dedicated to autocross, let’s focus on how our sport’s representatives performed in these rounds. Many drivers with a past or present in autocross took on the rallycross format, including Spanish XC Junior driver Oscar Fuertes Hernandez. In a field of nine competitors, he finished fifth on Saturday and improved to third on Sunday, clear progress and an impressive achievement.

In the CrossCar Senior category, another Spanish driver, Diego Martinez Gonzalez, displayed impressive speed, securing seventh place out of 23 competitors on Saturday. Unfortunately, due to various issues, he missed out on the semifinals on Sunday, but this result doesn’t reflect his true potential. We encourage Diego to stay determined and keep pushing forward.

The 2WD class for touring cars featured European Autocross Championship Buggy 1600 driver Mervin Klassen, who competed in a rear-wheel-drive Volvo C30. Saturday was a battle with technical issues—a common challenge for a brand-new car in its debut race. By Sunday, things were looking more promising, and while Klassen showed strong pace, a crash in the semifinals prevented him from fighting for top positions in the final. He officially classified 13th out of 19 drivers.

The biggest surprise came from European Autocross Junior Buggy champion Nathan Ottink. On Saturday, he showcased outstanding speed, taking victory in the Supercar AM category. By Sunday, he had won in the Supercar PRO category, where he competed against global stars such as Tanner Foust, Patrick O’Donovan, Fraser McConnell, and Ulrik Linnemann.

Congratulations to Nathan, and we wish him continued success in his motorsport journey!

Many other Autocross drivers have put themselves to the test on this Rallycross track from all over Europe.

AX Magazine Italia is organizing to be present at at least one event in this championship!