Team KMS Takes Early World Cup Advantage After Tight Time Trial Contest

Team KMS claimed the first medal of the inaugural FIA Extreme H World Cup in a gripping Time Trial contest where just 0.591 split the top two teams.

The pairing of Johan Kristoffersson and Mikeala Ahlin-Kottulinsky set the benchmark across both the morning and afternoon sessions, with the gap in the morning being even closer – just 0.139s separated KMS from Jameel Motorsport’s Kevin Hansen and Molly Taylor.

Running last after going quickest in the morning session, Team KMS had to push hard to maintain its position after a strong final run from Jameel put it in a position to snatch victory.

But after taking over the car from Ahlin-Kottulinsky, Kristoffersson immediately set Jameel in his crosshairs, gaining huge time in the first corner. He continued to push, clipping a bank on the exit of the turn at Gate 10, and rotating too early at Gate 15 which cost him time. Nevertheless, he crossed the line 0.452s quicker than Jameel’s run to take the afternoon session.

Johan Kristoffersson, driver for Team KMS, said: “It was a very tight battle today with Team Jameel. After the first round there was only a tenth between us. Also, I saw Kevin [Hansen] had a very quick run on his drive, so I knew that I had to have a very good run and maybe I overpushed a little bit in a few places.

“Mikaela did a great job, and I managed to be fast enough to beat them overall. So we are very happy with that, we take the 10 points and try and enjoy the moment, but also switch focus to the Head-to-Head battle tomorrow.”

Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky, driver for Team KMS, said: “We are super happy to take the win in the Time Trial. It was very close in the end, so that really shows that there is some really good competition here in the FIA Extreme H World Cup. When you combine the two times from this morning and the afternoon, we only won by half a second.

“Now we’re focused on tomorrow for the Head-to-Heads.”

Team Hansen’s Andreas Bakkerud and Catie Munnings wound up third behind Jameel, despite Munnings running deep into the tight right hander at Gate 15 which cost the team, leaving it only fifth in the afternoon session.

The Team EVEN duo of Ole Christian Veiby and Hedda Hosås ended the day fourth, less than a second off the top three, while JBX’s Tommi Hallman – who set the fastest single lap time of the day – and Christine GZ were fifth.

Carl Cox Motorsport’s Timo Scheider and Klara Andersson finished sixth after being hampered by a puncture in the morning session, then receiving a five-second penalty in the afternoon after Andersson dropped a chevron marker on track.

The results were completed by ZEROID Motorsport’s Fraser McConnell and Gray Leadbetter – who had to contend with a sensor issue in the morning, and a 14-second penalty in the afternoon session for a Switch Zone infringement – and STARD’s Patrick O’Donovan and Amanda Sorensen.

STARD also had issues in the morning with a rear inverter failure, but recovered for a trouble-free run in the afternoon.

James Taylor, Chief Championship Officer, Extreme H, said: “We've had an incredible first day of racing here at the FIA Extreme H World Cup, with all drivers pushing the car to its limits. The gap between first and last car was so close, it's been incredibly exciting to watch. We couldn't have asked for more.”

The FIA Extreme H World Cup continues tomorrow with the Head-to-Head competition.