The 2025 FIA Euro RX3 Championship kicked off its season in Riga, Latvia, this weekend, and Antigua-based racer Nicolas Geleyns delivered a remarkable display of resilience to secure a third-place finish in the opening round, capping off a rollercoaster weekend for the Volland Racing driver.Competing behind the wheel of a tuned Audi A1, Geleyns faced a disappointing setback right out of the gate, when he clocked in at 11th place in the first qualifying session. Rather than letting the slow start derail his campaign, the driver dug in and turned his fortunes around with three consecutive top-three results in the subsequent qualifying rounds. This consistent late push catapulted him to third place in the intermediate rankings, locking in a coveted front-row starting position for the semi-final, where he lined up alongside title rival Julien Meunier.The semi-final provided one of the weekend’s most dramatic moments. On the very first lap, Geleyns made contact with Meunier that sent his Audi careening into the trackside barrier. The collision was severe enough that race officials immediately called a red flag to stop the session, giving Geleyns’ Volland Racing crew a narrow window to conduct urgent repairs on the damaged chassis. Working at blistering speed, the team patched up the car enough to get it back on the grid for the restart, keeping their driver’s title hopes alive. Despite carrying residual damage from the crash, Geleyns held his nerve and fought his way through to the final round.In the final race, he once again proved his ability to compete under pressure, defending his position against chasing drivers to take the final spot on the podium. The race was won by Lithuania’s Gurklys, with Meunier claiming second place ahead of Geleyns. Reflecting on his performance after the checkered flag, the Antigua-based driver acknowledged that there was still room for improvement, but said he could not be unhappy to leave the opening event with a podium result.”Even though I know I could have done better, I’m obviously very satisfied to leave the opening weekend of the season with a podium finish,” Geleyns noted. With the opening round in the books, the championship will next head to Hungary for its second event. Geleyns currently sits third in the overall season standings, just 12 points adrift of current championship leader Meunier as the series prepares for the next chapter of competition.
Antigua Driver Nicolas Geleyns Opens Euro RX3 Season With Podium Finish
