Prestone MSA British Rally Championship front-runner Fredrik Åhlin will move up to the FIA European Rally Championship this season.
Continuing to drive a CA1 Sport Skoda Fabia R5, ran under the LeoVegas World Rally Team banner, the Swedish driver will enter the eight-round Under 28 championship with the aim of winning the title.
“I had already decided before the last round of the British championship last year that I wanted a new challenge in 2018,”, Explained Åhlin. “I can’t thank enough everyone who has supported us to be able to do this year’s programme. It is not a secret that this wouldn’t be possible without the support from sponsors, friends and family.”
”One thing is sure, we will enjoy every second of this year and I feel very motivated and focused on doing a good job and to collect valuable experience for new adventures in the future.”
Having competed in the British championship for the last two seasons, 2017 saw the Swede lose out in the title fight by just a single point to M-Sport’s Keith Cronin and he has already contested several events back in his homeland including Rally Sweden in a bid to keep the momentum up ahead of his debut ERC campaign.
Åhlin added about his start to 2018: “It started really well with an overall victory at the opening round of the Swedish championship. Unfortunately, we had to retire at Rally Sweden with technical issues. But every single kilometre me and Joakim (Sjöberg) could get together in a rally car was so important.”
Round one of the 2018 FIA European Rally Championship takes place on the Azores Airlines Rally between March 22-24.
