After winning the rallycross World Cup 2017 and 2018, Johan Kristoffersson was forced to change discipline to track racing and the WTCR (World Touring Car Cup) last year when Volkswagen's rallycross venture was discontinued.

This year he is back in the rallycross world.

Ahead of this year's season, Kristoffersson and his team managed to persuade Volkswagen to buy a car and this weekend he would have made a comeback in connection with the World Cup in Barcelona. In the prevailing world situation, however, it was clear at an early stage that the premiere was postponed and so far no one knows when the series can start.

Beginner in esport

In order to relieve some of the abstinence of drivers and fans, a virtual championship is now being started by the World Cup organizer, called the World RX Esports Invitational Series.

Johan Kristoffersson is one of the drivers who will compete in the premiere on Sunday.

"I am a novice in esports so it will be a bit of a premiere in double sense for me now," says Kristoffersson, who does not own any own game or simulator rig, but will borrow it as rallycross colleague Nils Andersson has in his garage in Arvika.

Star-studded starting field

And for the Heat Lander, there is no doubt that it is the real thing that appeals most.

- Honestly, it's not a favorite. But it will be different and it will be fun to try, says Johan Kristoffersson.

Some of the other drivers participating in Sunday's sports competition are reigning world champion Timmy Hansen, Kevin Hansen and Norwegian Andreas Bakkerud. In the starting field there are also purely esports drivers, including Killian Dall'Olmo who is the world champion in the Dirt Rally 2.0 rally game.