A massive kerb spectacularly launched the Hyundai i20 of Reinis Nitiss right up into the air at the start of the first semi-final race. Now, as everybody knows, the best way to try and minimise damage to your car should you get airborne is to try and land it on the nearest Seat Ibiza.
Unfortunately for Nitiss, he missed the Ibiza and landed on the Renault Megane of Anton Marklund. Nitiss was out with terminal damage and while Marklund’s car was able to keep going, the damage to the roof and rear wing meant he ended up fifth, unable to progress through to the final.
At least he made it to the semis, though – two of the favourites for the event, Timmy Hansen and Andreas Bakkerud, dropped out in the qualifying phase after this colossal shunt left Hansen’s Peugeot 208 with severe structural damage.
Although Hansen finished the race he had to withdraw from the rest of the event, while Bakkerud’s role in causing the accident (he thought it was the final lap, hence why he absolutely sent it out of the final corner) meant that he was disqualified and also failed to progress.
The final itself wasn’t without drama either as Niclas Gronholm pushed his way past Kevin Hansen for the win, only to be penalised for the move after the race, dropping him to second and handing Hansen his first win.
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