Mattias Ekström

Mattias Ekström (born July 14, 1978 in Falun, Sweden) is a racing driver from Sweden. He competed in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters for Audi from 2001 until his retirement in 2018, and has been competing in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, also for Audi, since its inception in 2014. He is a FIA World Rallycross Champion, a two-time DTM champion and a three-time winner of the Race of Champions.

Mattias Ekström
Ekström in April 2018
Nationality Swedish
Born (1978-07-14) July 14, 1978
Falun, Sweden
FIA World Rallycross Championship career
Debut season2014
Current teamKYB Team JC
Car number5
Starts49
Championships1 (2016)
Wins11
Podiums22
Finished last season2nd
DTM
Years active2001–2018
Former teamsAbt Sportsline
Starts217
Championships2 (2004, 2007)
Wins25
Podiums83
Poles20
Fastest laps17
FIA ERX Supercar Championship
Years active2013–2014
Former teamsMarklund Motorsport
Starts3
Wins1
Podiums2
Best finish10th in 2014
STCC
Years active1997–2000
Former teamsVolvo S40 Racing Team Sweden
Kristoffersson Motorsport
Troberg – Rydell Junior Team
Starts55
Championships1 (1999)
Wins11
Podiums30
Poles6
Fastest laps9
Previous series
2013
2010
1995–1996		V8 Supercars
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Renault 5 Junior Sweden
Championship titles
2016
2004, 2007
1999
1996		World Rallycross
DTM
STCC
Renault 5 Junior Sweden
World Rally Championship record
Active years1999–2000, 2003–2006
TeamsŠkoda Motorsport
Rallies8
Championships0
Rally wins0
Podiums0
Stage wins0
Total points0
First rally1999 Rally Sweden
Last rally2006 Rally Deutschland

Career
Ekström won his second DTM championship in 2007.

Ekström debuted in karting in 1993. The next years he competed at the Renault 5 Turbo Cup, winning the championship in 1996. The driver progressed to the Swedish Touring Car Championship in 1997, finishing runner-up with a Volvo 850. In 1998 he drove a Ford Mondeo, claiming four podiums. Ekström won the 1999 championship driving an Audi A4 quattro. He switched rides again in 2000, finishing third with a factory Volvo S40.

In 2001, Ekström joined the Abt Junior team to compete at the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. Driving Audi TT, he finished 8th in his debut season, third in 2002, and fourth in 2003.

In 2004, Ekström won the 2004 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, defeating Mercedes rivals Gary Paffett and Christijan Albers. In the 2005 DTM season he finished second behind Paffett.

Ekström has also been active in rallying and the World Rally Championship. He debuted in the WRC in 1999 and recorded his best result at the 2005 Swedish Rally, finishing tenth in a Škoda factory team Fabia WRC.[1] At the 2005 Race of Champions, Ekström won the Nations' Cup with Tom Kristensen. In 2006, he won the Henri Toivonen Memorial Trophy and earned the title Champion of Champions at the 2006 Race of Champions, by winning over Sébastien Loeb in the individual event finals.

After a poor 2006 season, Ekström won his second DTM title in 2007 and went on to win the 2007 Race of Champions, beating Michael Schumacher in the individual finals. In 2009, he won the Race of Champions once more beating the seven-time world champion in the final.

Ekström competing at the opening round of the 2009 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season at Hockenheim.

Ekström became the first Scandinavian driver to take part in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in June 2010. He raced for Team Red Bull at Infineon Raceway, substituting for Brian Vickers in the No. 83 Toyota Camry, as Vickers was inactive for the remainder of the 2010 season due to blood clots. Ekström was able to finish 21st and lead 7 laps mostly remaining in the top 5 or top 10 the whole day.[2] However he did so ex-aequo with another Scandinavian driver as Jan Magnussen from Denmark also took part in the same race, eventually finishing ahead of Ekström. Ekström also ran the Air Guard 400 at Richmond International Raceway where he started 42nd and finished 31st.

Ekström competing in the 2014 DTM season.
Ekström in his Audi S1 at the 2016 World RX of Sweden

Ekström followed in the footsteps of his father Bengt by branching out into rallycross in 2013, competing in the Swedish round of the European Rallycross Championship in Höljes, finishing second in a Volkswagen Polo. He subsequently announced that he was establishing his own EKS RX team to compete in the FIA World Rallycross Championship.[3] The team made their debut at the Norwegian round of the 2014 World Rallycross Championship season in Hell, fielding a pair of Audi S1s for Ekström and 2013 Junior World Rally Champion Pontus Tidemand.[4]

Ekström is widely regarded as one of the most versatile drivers in the world. He also participated in the Bathurst 1000 in 2013 alongside Andy Priaulx in a 'wildcard' entry. The entry qualified 19th and finished 10th, with former 1000 winner turned commentator Mark Skaife hailing his efforts, stating that he was "one of the best debutants I have seen", as well as being "the best international driver since Jacky Ickx". Ickx won the race on debut with Allan Moffat in 1977.

In January 2018, Ekström announced that he would be retiring from DTM,[5] to concentrate on running his rallycross team, now with added support from Audi Sport.[6] However, at the end of the season Audi decided to withdrew its works programme,[7] leaving Ekström's team in limbo, with some of the team's Audi S1 were sold to the privateers.[8] Eventually the team stayed as one-car privateer after signing Krisztián Szabó from Hungary,[9] with Ekström does a wildcard entry at the inaugural World Rallycross event in Spa Francochamps.[10]

Ekström returns to World Rallycross Championship in 2020 season, initially as a wildcard for the first two rounds in Sweden for the JC Race Teknik team, which coincidentally, running two EKS RX's Audi S1. He replaced Latvian Jānis Baumanis who was unable to do the full season with the team due to funding issues caused by COVID-19 pandemic.[11] Ekström ended up signed with the team for another two double-header rounds in Finland and Latvia,[12] which he got two wins and five podiums out of six events so far, making him the championship contender along with fellow Swede Johan Kristoffersson.

Racing record

Complete Swedish Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 DC Pts
1997 Troberg – Rydell Junior Team Volvo 850 GLT MAN
1
1		 MAN
2
1		 KIN
1
Ret		 KIN
2
4		 AND
1
1		 AND
2
4		 FAL
1
2		 FAL
2
Ret		 KNU
1
Ret		 KNU
2
2		 KAR
1
6		 KAR
2
1		 2nd 192
1998 Troberg – Rydell Junior Team Ford Mondeo Ghia MAN
1
Ret		 MAN
2
8		 KAR
1
3		 KAR
2
Ret		 AND
1
2		 AND
2
3		 FAL
1
Ret		 FAL
2
Ret		 KNU
1
4		 KNU
2
2		 MAN
1
Ret		 MAN
2
DNS		 8th 97
1999 Kristoffersson Motorsport Audi A4 Quattro MAN
1
3		 MAN
2
1		 KNU
1
1		 KNU
2
2		 KAR
1
2		 KAR
2
1		 AND
1
23		 AND
2
17		 FAL
1
3		 FAL
2
6		 AND
1
3		 AND
2
8		 ARC
1
6		 ARC
2
7		 MAN
1
1		 MAN
2
2		 1st 215
2000 Volvo S40 Racing Team Sweden Volvo S40 KAR
1
2		 KAR
2
3		 KNU
1
10		 KNU
2
9		 MAN
1
3		 MAN
2
2		 FAL
1
1		 FAL
2
2		 AND
1
4		 AND
2
6		 ARC
1
1		 ARC
2
1		 KAR
1
4		 KAR
2
5		 MAN
1
3		 MAN
2
2		 3rd 165

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points
1999 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 Quattro SAC
1		 SAC
2		 ZWE
1		 ZWE
2		 OSC
1		 OSC
2		 NOR
1		 NOR
2		 MIS
1		 MIS
2		 NÜR
1		 NÜR
2		 SAL
1		 SAL
2		 OSC
1
8		 OSC
2
4		 HOC
1		 HOC
2		 NÜR
1		 NÜR
2		 23rd 47

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points
2001 Abt Sportsline Junior Abt-Audi TT-R HOC
QR
17		 HOC
CR
DNS		 NÜR
QR
10		 NÜR
CR
9		 OSC
QR
6		 OSC
CR
7		 SAC
QR
2		 SAC
CR
5		 NOR
QR
11		 NOR
CR
9		 LAU
QR
Ret		 LAU
CR
3		 NÜR
QR
6		 NÜR
CR
14		 A1R
QR
Ret		 A1R
CR
11		 ZAN
QR
2		 ZAN
CR
Ret		 HOC
QR
6		 HOC
CR
6		 8th 38
2002 Abt Sportsline Abt-Audi TT-R HOC
QR
3		 HOC
CR
2		 ZOL
QR
4		 ZOL
CR
4		 DON
QR
9		 DON
CR
3		 SAC
QR
14		 SAC
CR
7		 NOR
QR
1		 NOR
CR
3		 LAU
QR
4		 LAU
CR
2		 NÜR
QR
16		 NÜR
CR
10		 A1R
QR
1		 A1R
CR
11		 ZAN
QR
3		 ZAN
CR
1		 HOC
QR
3		 HOC
CR
2		 3rd 50
2003 Abt Sportsline Abt-Audi TT-R HOC
8		 ADR
2		 NÜR
7		 LAU
3		 NOR
Ret		 DON
3		 NÜR
4		 A1R
5		 ZAN
3		 HOC
2		 4th 46
2004 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM 2004 HOC
3		 EST
2		 ADR
1		 LAU
1		 NOR
4		 SHA1
3		 NÜR
2		 OSC
5		 ZAN
1		 BRN
1		 HOC
6		 1st 74
2005 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM 2005 HOC
5		 LAU
4		 SPA
2		 BRN
1		 OSC
2		 NOR
3		 NÜR
1		 ZAN
2		 LAU
1		 IST
12		 HOC
7		 2nd 71
2006 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM 2006 HOC
Ret		 LAU
DSQ		 OSC
7		 BRH
1		 NOR
6		 NÜR
8		 ZAN
13		 CAT
4		 BUG
Ret		 HOC
12†		 8th 21
2007 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM 2007 HOC
1		 OSC
7		 LAU
10		 BRH
3		 NOR
3		 MUG
2		 ZAN
3		 NÜR
3		 CAT
Ret		 HOC
3		 1st 50
2008 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM 2008 HOC
1		 OSC
8		 MUG
6		 LAU
3		 NOR
4		 ZAN
1		 NÜR
6		 BRH
3		 CAT
DSQ		 BUG
1		 HOC
7		 3rd 56
2009 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM 2009 HOC
7		 LAU
3		 NOR
3		 ZAN
3		 OSC
2		 NÜR
3		 BRH
5		 CAT
6		 DIJ
9		 HOC
Ret		 5th 41
2010 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM 2009 HOC
6		 VAL
1		 LAU
Ret		 NOR
2		 NÜR
7		 ZAN
4		 BRH
Ret		 OSC
3		 HOC
Ret		 ADR
8		 SHA
9		 5th 35
2011 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM 2009 HOC
2		 ZAN
8		 SPL
Ret		 LAU
11		 NOR
7		 NÜR
1		 BRH
2		 OSC
1		 VAL
1		 HOC
6		 2nd 52
2012 Abt Sportsline Audi A5 DTM HOC
3		 LAU
5		 BRH
5		 SPL
4		 NOR
Ret		 NÜR
11		 ZAN
3		 OSC
8		 VAL
3		 HOC
Ret		 6th 81
2013 Abt Sportsline Audi RS5 DTM HOC
Ret		 BRH
7		 SPL
5		 LAU
8		 NOR
DSQ		 MSC
2		 NÜR
13		 OSC
7		 ZAN
4		 HOC
4		 7th 68
2014 Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi RS5 DTM HOC
2		 OSC
13		 HUN
9		 NOR
3		 MSC
3		 SPL
7		 NÜR
Ret		 LAU
Ret		 ZAN
1		 HOC
1		 2nd 106
2015 Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi RS5 DTM HOC
1
12		 HOC
2
1		 LAU
1
3		 LAU
2
2		 NOR
1
17		 NOR
2
4		 ZAN
1
13		 ZAN
2
7		 SPL
1
5		 SPL
2
1		 MSC
1
Ret		 MSC
2
3		 OSC
1
14		 OSC
2
11		 NÜR
1
10		 NÜR
2
11		 HOC
1
9		 HOC
2
2		 3rd 147
2016 Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi RS5 DTM HOC
1
9		 HOC
2
Ret		 SPL
1
16		 SPL
2
2		 LAU
1
6		 LAU
2
2		 NOR
1
Ret		 NOR
2
Ret		 ZAN
1
7		 ZAN
2
7		 MSC
1
5		 MSC
2
9		 NÜR
1
DSQ		 NÜR
2
4		 HUN
1
18		 HUN
2
1		 HOC
1		 HOC
2		 7th 107
2017 Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi RS5 DTM HOC
1
5		 HOC
2
11		 LAU
1
8		 LAU
2
2		 HUN
1
5		 HUN
2
2		 NOR
1
3		 NOR
2
4		 MSC
1
8		 MSC
2
2		 ZAN
1
17†		 ZAN
2
3		 NÜR
1
15		 NÜR
2
6		 SPL
1
1		 SPL
2
5		 HOC
1
11		 HOC
2
8		 2nd 176
2018 Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline Audi RS5 DTM HOC
1
17		 HOC
2
16		 LAU
1		 LAU
2		 HUN
1		 HUN
2		 NOR
1		 NOR
2		 ZAN
1		 ZAN
2		 BRH
1		 BRH
2		 MIS
1		 MIS
2		 NÜR
1		 NÜR
2		 SPL
1		 SPL
2		 HOC
1		 HOC
2		 NC‡ 0‡

1 Shanghai was a non-championship round.
† Retired, but was classified as he completed 75% of the winner's race distance.
‡ As Ekström was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 NSCC Pts
2010 Team Red Bull 83 Toyota DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR PHO TEX TAL RCH DAR DOV CLT POC MCH SON
21		 NHA DAY CHI IND POC GLN MCH BRI ATL RCH
31		 NHA DOV KAN CAL CLT MAR TAL TEX PHO HOM 58th 175

Complete V8 Supercar results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Final Pos Points
2013 Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden VF Commodore ADE
R1		 ADE
R2		 SYM
R3		 SYM
R4		 SYM
R5		 PUK
R6		 PUK
R7		 PUK
R8		 PUK
R9		 BAR
R10		 BAR
R11		 BAR
R12		 COTA
R13		 COTA
R14		 COTA
R15		 COTA
R16		 HID
R17		 HID
R18		 HID
R19		 TOW
R20		 TOW
R21		 QLD
R22		 QLD
R23		 QLD
R24		 WIN
R25		 WIN
R26		 WIN
R27		 SAN
R28		 BAT
R29
10		 SUR
R30		 SUR
R31		 PHI
R32		 PHI
R33		 PHI
R34		 SYD
R35		 SYD
R36		 55th 156

Complete WRC results

(key)

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points
1999 Mattias Ekström Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV MON SWE
30		 KEN POR ESP FRA ARG GRE NZL FIN CHN ITA AUS GBR NC 0
2000 Mattias Ekström Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV MON SWE
21		 KEN POR ESP ARG GRE NZL FIN CYP FRA ITA AUS GBR NC 0
2003 Mattias Ekström Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII MON SWE
23		 TUR NZL ARG GRE CYP GER FIN AUS ITA FRA ESP GBR NC 0
2004 Mattias Ekström Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII MON SWE
12		 MEX NZL CYP GRE TUR ARG FIN GER
24		 JPN GBR ITA FRA ESP AUS NC 0
2005 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC MON SWE
10		 MEX NZL ITA CYP TUR GRE ARG FIN GER GBR JPN FRA ESP AUS NC 0
2006 Škoda Motorsport Škoda Fabia WRC MON SWE
Ret		 MEX ESP FRA ARG ITA GRE GER
11		 FIN JPN CYP TUR AUS NZL GBR NC 0

Complete Global RallyCross Championship results

(key)

Supercar
Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 GRC Points
2013 Marklund Motorsport Volkswagen Polo BRA MUN1
5		 MUN2
4		 LOU BRI LAN ATL CHA LVS 15th 26

Complete FIA European Rallycross Championship results

(key)

Supercar
Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 ERX Points
2013 Marklund Motorsport Volkswagen Polo GBR POR HUN FIN NOR SWE
2		 FRA AUT GER 17th 23
2014 EKS RX Audi S1 GBR NOR
11		 BEL GER
1		 ITA 10th 22

Complete FIA World Rallycross Championship results

(key)

Supercar
Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 WRX Points
2014 EKS RX Audi S1 POR GBR NOR
19		 FIN SWE
1		 BEL CAN FRA GER
2		 ITA TUR ARG 11th 55
2015 EKS RX Audi S1 POR
7		 HOC BEL
6		 GBR
2		 GER
15		 SWE
1		 CAN
6		 NOR
12		 FRA
5		 BAR
7		 TUR
4		 ITA ARG
2		 6th 201
2016 EKS RX Audi S1 POR
7		 HOC
1		 BEL
1		 GBR
1		 NOR
3		 SWE
6		 CAN
8		 FRA
8		 BAR
1		 LAT
2		 GER
5		 ARG
5		 1st 272
2017 EKS RX Audi S1 BAR
1		 POR
1		 HOC
1		 BEL
4		 GBR
5		 NOR
4		 SWE CAN
7		 FRA
3		 LAT
2		 GER
1		 RSA
3		 2nd 255
2018 EKS Audi Sport Audi S1 BAR
6		 POR
7		 BEL
4		 GBR
4		 NOR
2		 SWE
6		 CAN
4		 FRA
4		 LAT
2		 USA
6		 GER
2		 RSA
2		 2nd 248
2019 EKS Audi Sport Audi S1 UAE ESP BEL
11		 GBR NOR SWE CAN FRA LAT RSA 22nd 8
2020 Sweden KYB Team JC Audi S1 SWE
2		 SWE
1		 FIN
7		 FIN
2		 LAT
2		 LAT
1		 ESP
5		 ESP
4		 2nd 192

Bathurst 1000 results
Year Team Car Co-driver Position Lap
2013 Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden Commodore VF Andy Priaulx 10th 161

References
  1. "Driver profile – Mattias Ekström". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  2. Mejia, Diego (7 June 2010). "Ekstrom gets NASCAR race chance". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  3. Ridge, Hal (17 April 2014). "DTM racer Mattias Ekstrom to run own team in World Rallycross". autosport.com. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  4. Ridge, Hal (5 June 2014). "Audi DTM star Mattias Ekstrom's World Rallycross team in Hell debut". autosport.com. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  5. "Mattias Ekström retires from DTM to focus on FIA World RX assault with EKS RX". The Checkered Flag. 2018-01-29. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  6. "EKS Audi Sport to attack in World RX with Bakkerud and Ekström". Audi MediaCenter. Retrieved 2018-02-01.
  7. Ridge, Hal. "Audi to end its works World Rallycross programme after 2018 season". Autosport.com. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
  8. "Ekstrom WRX team selling Audi S1s, could leave series". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
  9. Ridge, Hal. "Ekstrom's EKS team returns to World Rallycross after signing Szabo". Autosport.com. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
  10. "MATTIAS EKSTROM TO MAKE WORLD RX RETURN AT SPA". FIA World Rallycross. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
  11. "EKSTROM BACK IN WORLD RX WITH KYB TEAM JC". FIA World Rallycross. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
  12. "Ekstrom gets permission to contest Latvia World RX round". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Fredrik Ekblom		 Swedish Touring Car Championship
Champion
1999		 Succeeded by
Tommy Rustad
Preceded by
Bernd Schneider		 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
Champion
2004		 Succeeded by
Gary Paffett
Preceded by
Jean Alesi
Sébastien Loeb		 Race of Champions
Nations' Cup
2005 with:
Tom Kristensen		 Succeeded by
Marcus Grönholm
Heikki Kovalainen
Preceded by
Sébastien Loeb		 Race of Champions
Champion of Champions
2006–2007		 Succeeded by
Sébastien Loeb
Preceded by
Bernd Schneider		 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters
Champion
2007		 Succeeded by
Timo Scheider
Preceded by
Sébastien Loeb		 Race of Champions
Champion of Champions
2009		 Succeeded by
Filipe Albuquerque
Preceded by
Petter Solberg		 World Rallycross Champion
2016		 Succeeded by
Johan Kristoffersson
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