Grönholm: “It’s important that World Rallycross gets it right in 2025”
One of the biggest personalities in the world of rallying and rallycross explains the importance of accessible TV coverage for World RX in 2025, why the EV teams have a better shot than ever at a title challenge, and how to beat seven-time champion Johan Kristofferson…
Double World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm has told EV Powered that “it’s important that World Rallycross gets it right in 2025” ahead of the 2025 World RX season opener in Lousada, Portugal this weekend.
After retiring from the WRC in 2007, Grönholm switched to Rallycross in Europe and the United States for several years. After eventually hanging up his helmet, the now 57-year-old founded the GRX World Rallycross team in 2017. GRX competed in World RX with a Hyundai i20 N during the sport’s ‘golden era’ until withdrawing in 2021.
Don’t blame EVs for World RX’s downturn
While Grönholm no longer has any real involvement with World RX, his son Niclas is managed by the GRX management outfit and drives for the Volvo CE Dealer Team, which is run by Swedish outfit PWR.
Since World RX began accomodating EVs from 2022 onwards, the younger Grönholm has raced the team’s all-electric, 680bhp RX1e challenger. To-date, EV power has taken the 29-year-old to two of his eight World RX career victories.
Given the family connection, Grönholm Sr is keen to see World RX return to top-tier championship status, given its organisation and promotion has been brought back in house by the FIA following a number of seasons of mismanagement by the WRC Promoter.
“A lot of people think that the move to EV is to blame for World RX becoming less popular, but I don’t think that’s the case,” he says. “The instant power, torque, and grip you get from an EV really lends itself to the short format of rallycross, so that’s definitely a good thing. There’s absolutely no problem there.
“I think when they race against the internal combustion engine (ICE) cars in the ‘Battle of Technologies’, that’s interesting for the spectators to watch, because no other championship has this. Some fans really love the pops and the bangs from the ICEs and others really enjoy the tech with the EVs. I think it’s quite okay to have this mix.”
Why freeview TV coverage is crucial for fans
Grönholm cites a lack of TV coverage as the biggest challenge facing World RX in 2025. While GRX was competing, the races were free to view on YouTube.
When the championship was overseen by WRC promoter, it switched to a pay-for-view model, which was hidden somewhere deep within the WRC website. In its bid to attract a new fanbase, World RX confirmed today that it will once again be free to watch live on YouTube this year.
“I think TV is crucial,” Grönholm explains. “Now the FIA is in charge, they need to open it up so people can easily watch online, because it’s not really that difficult to come and watch World RX in person.
“As it was in the last few years, it was quite difficult to watch for people who are getting old like me, because it was difficult to find!” he laughs. “If they can make it easy access like in the past though, that would really help get people interested.
“Getting rid of the paywall would help, too, because it wasn’t cheap. That said, I do understand that the costs involved with making good TV are high, so it’s a bit of a balance.”
Away from the importance of TV, Grönholm is optimistic that the off-season rule changes will narrow the gap between World RX’s EV and ICE competitors.
Rule changes for EVs and what it means for the racing
For this season, the FIA has introduced an ‘Equivalence of Technology’ (EoT) to achieve performance parity between the two powertrains. Further changes include a softer tyre compound from championship rubber supplier, Hoosier, and teams running EVs are granted greater freedom to adjust their cars’ differential ramp angles; a setting previously limited during previous seasons.
“The opening of the regulations means that the teams can play around with the diffs on the EVs, and Niclas told me that his team has improved their car from last year,” Grönholm continues. “I hope that the cars are closer and there’ll be good fight.”
In 2024, the World RX championship was won for a record seventh time by Johan Kristofferson in the ICE-powered Volkswagen Polo. Yet it’s the start procedure where Grönholm feels Kristofferson can be beaten.
Nonetheless, it’ll be a tall order to dethrone the Sweden who has claimed all but four of the World RX championship’s drivers’ titles since it was founded in 2014. It is also worth noting that Grönholm drives the Volvo CE Dealer Team’s electric car at corporate events.
That, plus 30 WRC victories under his belt, and the Finn knows a thing or two about how to drive – and win – on a mixed-surface event.
“The thing with the EV rallycross cars, is that they’re very good off the start because of the electric motors,” he explains. “Unlike with an ICE car, you don’t worry about having enough pressure in the turbo, you just floor the throttle and go.
An electrifying future for World RX
“We’ve seen over the years that Johan is very good at starts, so he just rockets away and usually disappears in to the distance. A couple of times last year though, we saw that when he’s not starting at the front, he doesn’t have the life so easy – especially in the rain and mud. He just couldn’t fight through for the win.”
“I’m looking forward to what happens during this World RX season, and I have a feeling that it’s really possible the electric cars can bring him some big competition,” Grönholm concludes.
“While Lousada may be a bit quiet this week in terms of cars on the grid, I think the quality of the racing will see see more cars and teams rejoin the sport from the second round onwards – then we will get proper heats, proper qualifying sessions, a proper finals and semi-finals.
“At least that’s what I’m hoping, as it seems a long time since those days.”
