Double DTM champion Mattias Ekström is set for a busy weekend when he heads to Hockenheim in May, combining both DTM and FIA World Rallycross Championship driving duties together in the same weekend.
World Rallycross joined DTM at Hockenheim last season in a move that was highly popular with fans but EKS RX brought in Edward Sandström to take drive while Ekström concentrated on his DTM role.
The announcement that Ekström will be driving in both championships is a clear sign of his commitment to World Rallycross and also how focuses he is for the season ahead as he looks to topple Petter Solberg from the top for the World Rallycross tree.
“Being able to race in the DTM and in rallycross at Hockenheim is like Christmas and Easter combined on a single day for me,” says the 2004 and 2007 DTM Champion.
“I’m very thankful to Audi for this unique opportunity. Following the final pre-season tests in my Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM at Hockenheim, I’m all fired up for the first two DTM races of the new season. We have good chances of repeating last year’s victories. That I’ll be able to additionally compete with world stars like Ken Block, Petter Solberg and Sébastien Loeb at the wheel of my S1 EKS RX quattro in front of thousands of Audi fans at the Motodrom is fantastic.”
While Ekström is hopeful of reaching the World Rallycross final race he is realistic, “On Friday and Saturday, I’ll definitely be on the grid. On Sunday, the time between the DTM qualifying session and the final rallycross races is pretty short. But, I’d have to qualify for the RX finals to begin with.”
