Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom is top qualifier at the Intermediate Classification after four action-packed qualifying sessions at World RX of Hockenheim, the second round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy.  The semi-finals and final will take place tomorrow morning.

Ekstrom – who is also racing in the DTM German Touring Car Championship this weekend – won Q1 yesterday and finished in the top three in Q2 and Q3 to ensure he took the top spot after Q4.  The EKS driver will start the first semi-final in pole position at the wheel of his Audi S1 EKS RX quattro, lining up on the front row alongside his team-mate and Q4 victor, Topi Heikkinen.

Starting on pole in the second semi-final is Q2 winner Johan Kristoffersson in his Volkswagen Polo RX Supercar.  Alongside Kristoffersson on the front row will be Latvia’s Janis Baumanis in the World RX team Austria prepared Ford Fiesta.

Fellow countrymen Davy Jeanny and Sebastien Loeb will start on the second row for semi-final one.  On the third row will be Robin Larsson in his privately-run Audi A1 and Andreas Bakkerud in the Hoonigan Racing Division Focus RS RX Supercar.

Reigning World RX Champion Petter Solberg struggled in Q1 and Q2 due to problems with his car’s differential.  The Norwegian was back on flying form for Q3, however, and clocked the fastest time. Solberg retired from Q4 after an impact with Sebastien Loeb broke his car’s suspension.  After Q4, Solberg is sixth in the standings and will start on the second row of semi-final 2 alongside Kevin Hansen. Britain’s Liam Doran and American Ken Block will compete in the same race, both starting on the third row.

Last year’s runner-up Timmy Hansen has a tough day when his car went up in flames during Q3.  The Team Peugeot-Hansen did a miraculous job of getting his car back to the grid in time for Q4, winning his race.  The Swede was later disqualified from the session due to his car being underweight.

Warm-up for the World RX Supercars will begin at 11am tomorrow, with the first semi-final due to run at 1110am local time.  The all-important World RX Supercar final will start at 1140am.