Carlos Fernández Negro remains in the hunt for the Spanish rallycross title after a tense weekend at Portugal’s Circuito Internacional de Montalegre tightened the championship race. He is now second, seven points behind Gorka Eizmendi, with the title to be decided at the final round in Aragón.
On Saturday, Fernández Negro was unstoppable. Driving his Peugeot 208 N5 for RMC Motorsport, he topped both qualifying sessions, then won the intermediate classification. He led every lap of the six-lap final. That run put him at the top of the SuperRX N5 standings with 99 points, two ahead of Eizmendi and six ahead of Tino Iglesias.
Before the Montalegre round, Fernández Negro was third in the standings with 62 points, trailing Eizmendi by 3 and Iglesias by 7. The Portuguese double-header became a basic moment in the title race, Ponferrada Hoy reported.
Sunday brought a shift. Gorka Eizmendi bounced back as Eduardo Domínguez joined the fight at the front. Fernández Negro kept pushing, finishing third in the intermediate classification and taking third again in the final. He held off a strong challenge from Tino Iglesias, keeping the Ford driver behind him.
Fernández Negro picked up 28 points on Sunday, but it was not enough to stay in front. Eizmendi now leads by seven points. Fernández Negro sits second, six points clear of third and more than 20 points ahead of fourth, securing a top-three finish. The title remains up for grabs.
The Montalegre event featured a rare double-race format, with two independent finals across the weekend. Each day offered valuable points, raising the risk of major shifts in the standings. AutoHebdoSport and Ponferrada Hoy reported that the format heightened pressure on title contenders and made the championship less predictable.
Now, attention turns to MotorLand Aragón, where the championship will be decided in November. Fernández Negro knows what’s at stake. “We have only one race left and everything is wide open. We need to prepare well for Aragón, although it will be very difficult.”
Fernández Negro’s confidence comes from recent wins. “Last year I managed to win in Montalegre and it was fantastic to repeat that on Saturday. I felt very comfortable with the circuit and was able to get the most out of the car,” he said after the race weekend.
The Montalegre double-header has set up a dramatic finish to the CERX Loterías season. The leading drivers are separated by just a few points, setting up a fight for the national title in Aragón.
