Nitiss joins Ekstrom’s WRX team to handle third Audi

Mattias Ekstrom’s Audi-backed EKS squad will run a third car in the World Rallycross Championship this year for Latvian Reinis Nitiss.

The former Euro RX Super1600 champion will race a third Audi S1 alongside Ekstrom and Finn Toomas Heikkinen. Nitiss made his Supercar debut in 2014 and won the third ever World RX event in Norway, with the Olsbergsmse squad.

Last season he joined the Munnich Motorsport team and scored a best finish of fifth in France in its SEAT Ibiza Supercar, but split with the German team after the event and returned to an OMSE Ford Fiesta.

“Together with Audi Sport we worked hard to enter three cars and I’m very happy that it worked out,” said reigning World RX champion Ekstrom. “In Reinis, we have another strong driver. Although he’s only 21 years old, he has gathered a lot of experience in rallycross.”

Nitiss said: “Switching to the world champion’s team is the dream of any racer. It’s a unique opportunity and I’m exceptionally happy.”