He is currently racing in DTM for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline and in the FIA World Rallycross Championship for the team he founded, EKS RX. He is a Swedish Touring Car champion, two-time DTM champion (2004 & 2007) and has won the Race of Champions three times (2006, 2007 & 2009). He has also raced in V8 Supercars, the World Rally Championship, European Rallycross, the Global Rallycross Championship, competed in the Bathurst 1000 and in the NASCAR Sprint Cup at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 in 2010. He is one of the most dynamic and charismatic drivers in racing and it was my absolute pleasure to put my Quick 10 questions to…….
MATTIAS EKSTROM
1. What is your favourite circuit and why?
Nürburgring-Nordschleife – it’s simply unique.
2. Who is/was your racing idol?
Walter Röhrl.
3. Who would you regard as your toughest opponent?
Petter Solberg.
4. Considering drivers of all time, you are a team principal and money is no object. Which drivers would you have in your race team? (WRX or other)
Walter Röhrl, Sébastien Loeb, Petter Solberg.
5. If you could invite four famous people to dinner (past and present), who would you invite?
Juan Pablo Montoya, Felix Neureuther, Frans and Novak Đoković
6. Personal racing number. What is it and the reason behind it?
#5 – because a lot of things in life have something to do with “5” – like you have 5 fingers on your hands.
7. What is the best race you have been involved in?
DTM Brno 2004 (winning my first DTM title under a lot of pressure), Bathurst 1000, NASCAR Sonoma, WorldRX Höljes, World RX Hockenheim.
8. Is there a race or series you have not competed in that you would like to or have wanted to?
No. Luckily I was able to try everything I wanted like WRC, NASCAR, V8 Supercars, DTM, WorldRX, GT racing.
9. How did you get into motor racing? What ignited that spark?
My father was a rallycross driver so I spent a lot of time in the paddocks when I was young. Despite that I wanted to become a tennis player. Then I drove a kart and from this moment I wanted be become a race driver.
10. What is the best racing advice you have been given?
Go hard or go home 🙂
It’s not often that you get to interview people you regard as your heroes or admire in racing, especially as a World Rallycross fan. This was one of those times. I would like to thank Mattias for taking the time to answer these questions and wish him the very best for the remainder of the season.
Neil Simmons
Twitter: @world_racing
Photo Credits:
Mattias Ekström