The ninth round of the 2016 championship heads to Barcelona this weekend to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The championship returns this weekend in Montmeló in Spain. In addition to this the Spanish track plays also host to the fourth round of the 2016 FIA European Rallycross Championship and the sixth round of the 2016 RX Lites Cup.

The event is to be held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, also home to the Spanish F1 – hosting the World RX event for the second time.

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will play host to the 9th round of the 2016 FIA World Rallycross Championship. © Wikipedia/ERC24

The fight for the title continues, as the top drivers edge ever closer to the final stages of the 2016 season. Since taking the points lead after the World RX of Canada, Double FIA World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg has fought incredibly hard to fight off close challengers Mattias Ekstrom and Andreas Bakkerud.

PSRX had worked around the clock during the lead up to the last rounds World RX of France, and Solberg was able to reward their hard work by challenging with fastest lap times over the weekend.

Championship leaders Petter Solberg and Mattias Ekstrom are separated by just five points, with Solberg taking the psychological advantage having won in Barcelona last year.

However, Mattias Ekstrom also looked fast last season in Barcelona. Ekstrom was fastest throughout the weekend, but missed out on a place in the final having made a mistake in last year’s semi.

JRM Racing will return to Spain this year fielding to cars. © JKR/ERC24

In pursuit of EKS, Team Peugeot-Hansen have continued to close the gap, bringing the points deficit down to 19 in the Team Championship. Sebastien Loeb has been leading the charge for the team, having taking a podium finish last time out in Loheac. Teammate Timmy Hansen has also continued to improve during the second-half of this season. Brother, Kevin – who looked quick in Loheac will represent Peugeot-Hansen Academy on the hunt for his fourth Euro RX win of the season.

This weekend will also include the entry of double DTM Champion Timo Scheider. Scheider will return to World RX and replace Reinis Nitiss in the Muennich Motorsport team. The Latvian driver Nitiss has jumped ship, returning to race with Olsbergs MSE having left the Muennich Motorsport team.

British-based team JRM Racing will run two MINI RX Supercars for Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit and Englishman Guy Wilks.