‘It is possible’ for women to reach top flight motorsport because 'If I can, so can you!'– Klara Andersson.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

As the only female driver in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, Klara Andersson aims to use her platform to inspire the next generation - ‘If I can be here, so can you!'

The 23-year-old has made waves since she transitioned to rallycross - achieving her biggest success – the 2019 Swedish Rallycross Championship, in SM (Senior) 2150, which propelled her to the forefront, and just a year later she claimed a fourth-place finish in the FIA RX2e championship on debut. 

"Dreams don’t have to just be dreams. You can make it a reality; if you just keep pushing and keep trying, then eventually you'll reach your goal. And if that takes a few years, then that's great, but if it takes 10 or 20, then that's part of the process." — Naomi Osaka

Dreams do come true, as Klara Andersson proved after joining the Extreme E championship in 2022, and to this day competes for the ABT Cupra squad, in addition, she also competes in the all-electric FIA World Rallycross Championship with Construction Equipment (CE) Dealer Team where she immediately impressed on debut, and has since became the first-ever female to step onto the international rallycross podium. 

Slipstream SA sat down with Klara at the World RX of South Africa earlier this year and asked - what could be done to make motorsport more inclusive for females, to which, she said: “I think we really need to look into the founder series. So, we need to look at go-karts and cross-karts. We then need to look at more women and girls entering series’ at young ages, because they can then climb the ranks and reach the very high levels.”

“So I think, for me, I always try to show that it is possible,” she adds. “It's possible to be a girl in the top series. And I want to be a role model and see that if I can be here, so can you. And I want to make it more normal that it's possible.”

Klara Andersson with her SM (Senior) 2150 – Swedish Rallycross Championship winning BMW 120.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA RXe

A career that started at the young age of seven karting. It wasn’t until 2018 that the Swede made the switch to rallycross after building a rear-wheel-drive BMW 120 with her father before competing in the 2021 SM (Senior) 2150 – Swedish Rallycross Championship, which she won.  

Coming from a racing background, with sister Magda [Andersson] who competed in European Rallycross – Klara’s career shone from the get-go. 

She lets us in on how much work went into building her championship-winning BMW.

“It was so much work. Just me and my dad [built it]. We started building it in 2017, and then I started driving it in 2018 in the junior series. So we put all the time, the money, and the effort into that car;” she said. “And, I haven't touched it since I won the championship [in 2021], it's still in the garage, because I can't sell it, you know, because it's too big a part of my career.”  

Andersson told Slipstream SA last year that "winning the Swedish Rallycross Championship was big for me. The level of Rallycross in Sweden is really high, and to win with my BMW that my dad and I built and have been working on for the last 3 years was amazing."

Beating a 50-strong entry list to the Swedish Rallycross Championship is a tall feat, but the Swede was more than capable of this. And, having now made the step up to Extreme E, and the FIA World Rallycross Championship results and performances are all that matters when going up against the best in the industry, the likes of Johan Kristoffersson and Timmy Hansen, calls for consistency, but on a personal level, what is required to make the additional step to compete against them? 

“It's a very good question. Johan is extremely good, and so are all the drivers in the World RX. It takes a lot of will, you need every piece of the puzzle to fit – a lot of power, you need to have the team for it, the car for it, and the teamwork. Otherwise, you can't win, you win the championship as a team. If you have the drivers but not the team, or if you have the team and not the drivers, and if you don’t have the car for it, then it's very, very hard,” Andersson said.

“I truly think that we [CE Dealer Team] have all the components that we need.  And, you know, now with this championship, it's only the second year that we have run our cars, so there's still a lot of development that needs to be made. And I think they will just become faster and faster for years to come, which I'm really excited for. I think I go back to the word, but I think it's passion. It's all about passion.”

Niclas Gronholm and Klara Andersson sharing a laugh during a signing session 
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool 

Passion is both a motivator and a driving force, speaking of a force, Andersson’s team-mate Niclas Grönholm has been competing in the World RX since 2015, and in 2019 came so close to achieving championship glory, but it all came undone after he, unfortunately, suffered with appendicitis, which ruled him out of two rounds. Surely, working with an experienced driver of his caliber has its perks, and there are no doubts Klara can pick up a trick or two from her teammate despite his quiet nature, a typical Finnish characteristic.

“He is great! He's a great teammate. Not only a good friend, but also we chat a lot about the car and the tracks, and we look at the video and the analysis together,” the CE Dealer Team driver said. “[Laughs] Yes! But he is very quiet. He's actually quite shy, but he also truly helps me a lot as a driver.”

Competing in rallycross is quite accessible, but reaching the top, the likes of the World Rallycross Championship is rather challenging without the necessary funding due to the costs of hiring cars, and the equipment needed to run these cars, in addition, the championship fields is pretty compact field since the series' move to electric cars, with 10 entries usually fielded across the course of a season. 

At the 2023 World RX of South Africa 1000, Nils Andersson, reigning RX2e Champion, worked alongside Kristoffersson Motorsport, as the team’s manager rather than competing with the best, a similar thing can be said about Frenchman Viktor Vranckx, who competed in RX2e for a few years, but he recently made the move to Nitrocross [in USA]. Drivers’ of this caliber should make the step up the ranks, but rather they are getting lost along the way due to budgetary constraints. 

Andersson says a challenge that all drivers face is “more or less, struggles with the budget and the funding. If we all had the budget, then we would see more cars, more drivers, everything. But it comes down to the budget. You can do a lot of things, but I think, for example, bringing in manufacturers would help quite a bit to really grow the championship and make more seats available. But it's hard.”

 “When I got my contract after just winning the Swedish Championship, we initially planned to do one international race in Spa, in RX2e, just to get some experience. I didn't think so much about it. But if I didn't do that race, I would never be here today,” she added. “So you really need to, at least do what I've been trying to do, and that is to take all the opportunities that you have, really grow your network, and be everywhere. Try everything. And then maybe the right people see you at the right time. But it's not easy.”

Achieving one's dreams of competing amongst the best in the world is all that drivers can ask for, but grabbing all the opportunities along the way is something that can boost a driver’s career. So, if there were opportunities to try out any other championship, what would Klara like to discover? Formula One, Dakar Rally, World Endurance, or even Formula E? 

“Formula One might be a bit too difficult now. But, I think Formula E is actually very exciting. I've been watching them with the ABT Cupra.  And I was at the race in Berlin. It would be amazing to try the Formula E cars sometime in the future. That would be really fun,” she said. “I'm also a big fan of the Dakar Rally. I always watch it. So, I mean, I'm only 23 right now. My main focus is for sure on World RX and Extreme E. But who knows what's going to happen in a few years.”

With her focus primarily on World RX and Extreme E at this moment in time - what would her ideal World Rallycross Championship track look like? 

TRACK DESIGNED BY KLARA ANDERSSON

The CE Dealer Team driver talks us through her ideal World track layout - “Oh, wow! This is difficult. [She begins to draw and says] We want a wide gravel first corner. That would be the biggest wish on the Christmas list. Then we have a jump. Flat jumps, that's all I want. No breaking before jumps, in my opinion. Then we're in the wrong series. 

This [turn 3] was supposed to be a bit tighter. You could call it a banked corner. After the banked corner, you will have a proper hairpin gravel, just a full handbrake. And then you need a good flow over the jump. The jump also needs to be gravel, actually. And then when you land, you have quite a long tarmac corner. Then the last section is quite fast, but then it splits to the joker on the outside. So it splits just before the finish line. This one is quite fast! The cars will all line up on the grid. 

Ah, that was actually quite fun." 

WORLD RX PREVIEW: Can anyone stop Kristoffersson's supremacy at the 'Magic Weekend' in Höljes?

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Having reigned supreme in the opening two rounds of the 2023 season, attention now turns to the 'Magic Weekend' in Höljes, where reigning champion Johan Kristoffersson will once again be the favourite as he chases a sixth world championship crown. 

"I couldn't have had a better start to the season. We've been fast on two very different types of circuits, so I feel very comfortable. But things can turn around quickly so I have to stay very focused," the reigning champion said. "We haven't competed with electric cars in Höljes before. We practiced there last year, before Hell, but there has been lots of development on the cars since then. It's going to be interesting to see how fast we can be around the circuit this time."

The Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS driver currently holds a 13-point advantage over closest rival Niclas Grönholm in the drivers’ classification.

"I am looking forward to Höljes, a track I think everybody would like to win on. It is going to be tough competition, like always. It is probably one of the most challenging tracks to set up everything one hundred percent right. Hopefully, continue to score good results in front of our fans and partners," Grönholm said.

Kristoffersson will face stiff opposition, however, not least from countryman Hansen (Hansen World RX Team), as he strives to kick-start his season following accidents that have uncharacteristically kept him out of the final in both rounds so far.

“The season clearly hasn’t started too well for us and we’re not in the position we had hoped to be, but we definitely took a step forward in terms of pace last time out and I’m excited to see if we can carry that forward,” Hansen said. “I’m not in the mood to hold anything back – I’m just going to send it!”

With the event universally known as the ‘Magic Weekend’, Hansen knows the entertainment won’t be limited to just the track, with fans already setting up camp in ‘Happy Street’, ready to party the night away once the racing ends each day.

“There’s a huge festival atmosphere,” he reveals, “and competing in front of so many people on home soil is just an incredible feeling that we don’t get anywhere else.”

Kevin Hansen followed his older brother across the line for a one-two finish in 2021, and the Swedish squad will be eager to repeat that result two years on. Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) sits an impressive fourth in the standings as she prepares to make her maiden appearance at Höljes in World RX, while WRC record man Sébastien Loeb – returning to the circuit for the first time since 2018 – is set to thrill fans behind the wheel of Special ONE Racing’s Lancia Delta Evo-e RX.

THE TRACK: Höljes Motorstadion

THE TRACK INFORMATION:

Along with the previous round at Höljes, Lohéac is widely considered one of the two ‘crown jewel’ events of World Rallycross. Unlike Höljes though, it’s less technical and less undulating.

That doesn’t mean the 1.07-kilometer track lacks a punch – rather the track is not forgiving for those who stray even slightly off-line or brake a little too late. And if it rains, all bets are off – the second half of the lap will become highly unpredictable.

2023 FIA WORLD RX OF SWEDEN: ENTRY LIST

Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - VW Polo RX1e

Sebastien Loeb (Special ONE Racing) - Lancia Delta Evo-e RX

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - Peugeot 208 RX1e

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) - PWR RX1e

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - Peugeot 208 RX1e

Guerlain Chicherit (Special ONE Racing) - Lancia Delta Evo-e RX

Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - VW Polo RX1e

Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) - VW Polo RX1e

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) - PWR RX1e

Timo Scheider (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) SEAT Ibiza RX1e

Round 3 - World RX of Sweden (CAT Times)

SATURDAY:

PRACTICE: 09:10

SUPERPOLE: 11:35

HEAT 1: 14:19

HEAT 2: 16:19

SUNDAY:

WARM-UP: 10:05

HEAT 3: 11:05

HEAT 4: 13:40

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 16:00

GRID WRAP-UP SHOW: 17:00 [RX+ only]

2023 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS - CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS [AFTER ROUND 2]:

1) Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - 46 POINTS

2) Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) - 33

3) Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - 24

4) Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) - 23

5) Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) - 22

6) Sebastien Loeb (Special ONE Racing) - 21

7) Timo Scheider (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) - 20

8) Guerlain Chicherit (Special ONE Racing) - 17

9) Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - 16

10) Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) - 14

Andersson signs multi-year deal with CE Dealer Team.

PHOTO CREDIT: CE Dealer Team.

Rallycross star Klara Andersson has been rewarded for her impressive rookie season in the FIA World Rallycross Championship with a multi-year contract at the Construction Equipment Dealer Team.

Andersson joined the World RX grid in Hell, Norway last summer – immediately turning heads as she advanced to the final on her debut. She went on to finish ahead of experienced team-mate Niclas Grönholm – seven times an event-winner in the series.

Barely two months later, the talented Swede made history by becoming the first female driver ever to ascend the podium in rallycross’ top flight when she placed third at Montalegre in Portugal. She then capped her maiden campaign by coming within an ace of defeating multiple world champion Johan Kristoffersson in the pair’s progression race at Germany’s Nürburgring.

Klara continued her impressive form winning the RX150 Rallycross round at Lydden Hill last weekend. Having penned a new deal, the Swedish Superstar is aiming to accelerate her progression in the second season of World RX’s ground-breaking new electric era in 2023, when she will join forces with Grönholm once again.

“Chances like these are a one-in-a million opportunity, and I am beyond grateful for the team’s belief in me as a driver. I’m super-excited to see what we can achieve together in the future," she said.

“Starting my World RX career with CE Dealer Team last year was amazing, and to continue with them for 2023 and beyond is really inspiring for me as a young driver. I’m very happy to keep racing with my team-mate Niclas – we work really well together. Now I’ve done my rookie year and I’ve learned so much, it’s time for the next step forward.”

Team Manager Jussi Pinomäki has high hopes for what Andersson can accomplish over the coming years with the team.

“We are delighted to have Klara on-board with us in a long-term set-up after a really impressive first World RX season,” he said. “No matter who you are, your debut season in an FIA World Championship is a baptism of fire, but Klara handled it like a driver with considerably more experience than she has, taking leaps forward in her personal development throughout the year. We look forward to a thrilling journey ahead, challenging the boundaries and norms of motorsport together.”

PREVIEW: Kristoffersson on verge of clinching fifth World RX title in Catalunya.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

With a 41-point advantage over his nearest rival, Johan Kristoffersson is aiming to clinch his fifth Drivers’ crown at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona this weekend. 

The Kristoffersson Motorsport driver has triumphed six times out of seven so far this season, and he knows what it takes to tame the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – although 15 months ago, he came off second-best there following a series of thrilling battles with the Hansen brothers.

But for ill-fortune and some strategic errors, Kevin and Timmy Hansen would have at least one win apiece to their name this year, too, and the Swedish siblings produced a superb team effort to keep Johan behind in Catalunya last season with Kevin clinching victory for the Hansen stable.

The Hansen World RX squad are embroiled in a fierce four-way fight for the runner-up spot in the overall standings with Ole Christian Veiby and Niclas Grönholm, with three points separating the quartet.

Although he was out of luck just over two weeks ago in Belgium, Ole Christian Veiby has displayed a strong turn-of-speed on his rallycross return this season – and with four podium appearances to-date, the Norwegian has proved to be a perfect rear-gunner to team-mate Kristoffersson. 

Grönholm, for his part, won at Montalegre and reached the podium at Spa, as the Construction Equipment Dealer Team increasingly establishes itself as a force to be reckoned with.

Gustav Bergström impressed yet again by placing inside the top three on both days in Belgium, while his CE Dealer Team counterpart Klara Andersson also spraying the champagne in Portugal, where she became the first female driver ever to finish on the podium in international rallycross’ top flight.

Completing the field in Barcelona is René Münnich, the German is continuing to improve with age – and it was in Catalunya last season where the ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport driver / team owner advanced to the final for the first time...

THE PERMANENT TEAMS:

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS: Johan Kristoffersson and Ole Christian Veiby

Hansen World RX Team: Timmy Hansen and Kevin Hansen

Construction Equipment Dealer Team: Niclas Gronholm and Klara Andersson (first gender equal team.)

THE CIRCUIT - CIRCUIT DE CATALUNYA, BARCELONA.

THE TRACK: 

Well-known for hosting Formula 1 and MotoGP, the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya joined the FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar in the series’ second season in 2015, since when it has become a staple of the schedule. Spectators invariably enjoy an incredible view of the action in the stadium section of the famous venue.

Located right next to the famous F1 paddock, the asphalt sections are wide, smooth and fast. From the start-line of the 1,125m rallycross track, competitors tackle a sweeping left-hand Turn One (Turn Ten of the F1 circuit), before an uphill blast on the racetrack leads to the first unsealed area, which comprises a long right-hander and a kink to the left.

A quick-fire right-left-left – which forms the penultimate corner of the F1 circuit – marks the entry to the Joker lap, followed by a long, sweeping left-hand turn incorporating the back straight. The second of the two unsealed areas then has an intricate entry before running through a fast downhill right kink, with a tight left-handed turn leading to the finish line.

TRACK LENGTH: 1.125 m

NO. OF CORNERS: 12 

PREVIOUS WINNERS (2021) - Round 1 Kevin Hansen

SURFACE: 60% Asphalt, 40% Gravel.

JOKER LAP LOSS: 3.2 seconds (approximately)

FORMAT CHANGE:

The Qualifying heats will be renamed Heat 1, Heat 2, Heat 3 instead of Q1, Q2, Q3. There will be three heats only as opposed to the four that have existed over the last eight years. Heat 1 starting positions will be decided following a “Superpole” timed session instead of a draw.

Heat 4 will be replaced by a “Progression Race” to add one more decisive stage in the progress of the event towards access to the Semi-Finals. Starting position distribution for this Progression Race will be determined according to ranking after the 3 Heats. The Final phase remains with Semi-Finals and a Final, but with five-car starts. The highest qualified driver will have a free of starting position. Other changes include five laps in all races (Qualifying, Progression Race, Semi-Finals, Final) and no use of the Joker Lap allowed in Lap 1 if the Joker Lap is in Corner No.1.

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (for 2022 onwards):

Championship points will be awarded based on the final  classification on the Competition on the following basis: 

1st: 20 points

2nd: 16 points

3rd: 13 points

4th: 12 points

5th: 11 points

6th: 10 points

7th: 9 points

8th: 8 points

9th: 7 points

10th: 6 points

11th: 5 points

12th: 4 points

13th: 3 points

14th: 2 point

15th: 1 point

- The Teams’ Championship is open to World Championship teams fielding two cars, and includes all points scored by both of the team’s drivers at each event.

World RX Entry List - World RX of Catalunya 

*GCK Motorsport’s Lancia Delta Evo-e will not be ready to race in Hell due to the extensive development work required to incorporate the new technology into the car, it will appear on-track in World RX later in the season.

*The second All-Inkl.com Munnich Motorsport Seat Ibiza RX1e is currently being built.

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Drivers):

Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 131 points

Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 90 pts

Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS) 89 pts

Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) 87 pts

Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) 87 pts

Gustav Bergstrom (Kristoffersson Motorsport) 76 pts

Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) 71 pts

Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) 62 pts

2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship Standings (Teams):

Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS 220 points

Hansen World RX Team 177 pts

Construction Equipment Dealer Team 158 pts

ROUNDS 9 AND 10 - WORLD RX OF CATALUNYA (CAT TIMES). 

SATURDAY:

PRACTICE: 10:40

SUPERPOLE: 11:30

HEAT 1: 12:45

HEAT 2: 14:15

PROGRESSION RACE: 15:40

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 17:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 18:00 [RX+ only]

SUNDAY:

PRACTICE: 12:05

SUPERPOLE: 12:25

HEAT 1: 13:40

HEAT 2: 15:20

PROGRESSION RACE: 16:40

SEMI-FINALS AND FINAL: (from) 18:00

GRID WRAP UP SHOW: 19:00 [RX+ only]

All of the on-track entertainment and off-track features will be broadcast live on RX+. Event passes are available for €7,99, with the full season pass on sale for €49,99. More information can be found here.

Klara Andersson World RX's first permanent female driver "proud to achieve childhood dream."

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Talented, determined, and fast… Klara Andersson has made history this year with the CE Dealer Team, as she became the first ever permanent female driver in the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

At the age of seven, Andersson began karting, spending the next six years racing in Sweden, Norway and Italy, during this time multiple regional championships were won, but it wasn’t until 2018 that she switched focus to rallycross.

She then became a member of the Swedish Junior National Team of Motorsport, a programme established to support the most talented national drivers.

In 2019, Klara made a wildcard appearance at the 2019 RallyX Nordic season finale, and finished runner-up in the Junior Rallycross Championship before taking the step up too the senior category in a car built by her father and herself (a rear-wheel-drive BMW 120) where she beat a 50-strong entry list to the title.

Andersson posing with trophies alongside her BMW 120,
PHOTO CREDIT: Klara Andersson (Instagram)

A year later, Andersson tested STARD’s Projekt E car before joining the FIA RX2e championship, where she impressed on debut, claiming a fourth place finish at Spa-Francorchamps.

Having proven her talent and skill, she was invited to the Extreme E rookie test, and was later signed by Xite Energy Racing to compete alongside Oliver Bennett in the 2022 season opener, but after returning a positive COVID-19 test, she was unable to compete.

Whilst that door closed, another opened. The 22-year-old was signed to the Construction Equipment (CE) Dealer Team to partner Niclas Grönholm, who has 64 starts and seven career victories too he’s name. 

Klara impressed with a strong debut at the World RX of Norway (round one), finishing fourth in the final. 

With five rounds now under her belt, she made history last time out in Portugal, as the first female driver ever to reach the podium in top flight international rallycross having claimed a third place finish.

Arriving in Chile, as the championship driver for Extreme E, Andersson had no guarantee that she would compete, but after Jutta Kleinschmidt was hospitalized following a rough landing during Free Practice 2 ahead of the Copper XPrix, she was drafted into the ABT Cupra team for the weekend. 

It was a steep learning curve, but Klara impressed yet again, and in the semi-final pulled off a brilliant overtake on championship regular Sara Price (Chip Ganassi Racing's) to help claim the team's first spot in the final (this season). 

The final was a rough affair, but holding her own, she kept focused and error free crossing the finish line in fifth, but due to penalties for those ahead, the team were promoted to third. 

We caught up with the history-maker….

"I’m the third generation in my family to do motorsport, so it was quite natural for me to be put in a go kart when I was 7 years old, and I immediately fell in love with the feeling of speed," she said. "My family has always been my biggest supporters, and without them I wouldn’t be where I am today in my career."

According to Andersson, her biggest success was claiming the SM (Senior) 2150 – Swedish Rallycross Championship in 2021.

"Winning the Swedish Rallycross Championship was big for me," she says. "The level of Rallycross in Sweden is really high, and to win with my BMW that my dad and I built and have been working on for the last 3 years was amazing."

Having had a successful career too date. If she did not follow the path to motorsport. Where would she have gone? Or what career path would she have followed?

"Motorsport has always been a huge part of my life, so I would want to be involved somehow. But I actually played ice hockey for 10 years growing up before I chose to focus on motorsport when I was 13. So I would probably still be playing if I didn’t make that decision," she tells us.

History was made earlier this year, as the CE Dealer Team signed Klara as one of there two drivers in the all-new electric era of the FIA World Rallycross Championship. What does it mean too be the first permanent female driver in World RX?

"I’m proud to have achieved my childhood dream, to be competing in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Of course it’s honourable to be the first permanent female driver, but to be honest I see myself as a driver competing against other drivers, and don’t see myself as something different. I’ve always competed against men and been respected by them as much as any other driver," she said.

Klara Andersson leading team-mate Niclas Grönholm at the World RX of Portugal.
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

After all, at just 22 years old, she achieved a major goal on the track, and hopes to inspire younger women to do the same.

"I do however hope that more young girls get involved with motorsport," Andersson says. "It’s one of few sports in the world where men and women can compete on equal terms, which means you compete against the very best drivers, no matter their gender. That’s one thing I love about motorsport, and I’m so thankful that my parents gave me the opportunity to try it."

Early last month, the first-ever electric FIA World Rallycross Championship round was held in Hell, Norway, and Klara was very impressive on debut. So, how would she assess her debut, and what areas does she feel there is room for improvement?

"I’m proud of my and the team’s performance in Norway! It was an emotional weekend for me to do my first race at the highest level of rallycross. We knew it was going to be challenging, but to make the final and perform lap times similar to the top drivers was big for me. This is only the beginning and I’m super excited to continue working with the team and develop as a driver," she said.

"For me I’m focusing on feeling confident in the car and learning as much about it as possible. Taking it step by step and being consistent. I’ve never driven a supercar before, so to get used to the speed is challenging but so much fun!"

Klara Andersson celebrating with the ABT Cupra Extreme E team after a third place finish at the Copper XPrix.
PHOTO CREDIT: ABT Motorsport

Having driven a combination of cars through the years from go-karts, ICE rallycross cars, and electric rallycross cars. How do they compare? And, are they harder to drive?

"I can only compare to my rear-wheel drive BMW 120, which is completely different to my 4wd PWR RX1e! The difference in power and acceleration is huge. For me the biggest difference with electric rallycross cars is the instant torque, but also how the car is built with the motors and how they are placed," she explains. "It’s challenging for both us drivers but also the team, because it’s so new! There is so much to learn, which I’m really excited about."

Andersson competed successfully in a number of different categories/championships in her career thus, but where does she see herself in 5 years?

"My dream and goal has always been to race in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. I also think Extreme E is a great championship, and I’d love to race there in the future," she replied. "In the next 5 years, I’d want to keep driving in the FIA World RX, gathering more experience, exploring different cars and championships, and living my dream!"

You can follow Klara’s adventure in the FIA World Rallycross Championship at the fifth and sixth round of the championship next month (October) at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, or follow her on klara_rx (Instagram). 

CE Dealer Team makes history with gender-equal driver line-up.

PHOTO CREDIT: CE Dealer Team

History made, as rising star Klara Andersson and multiple race winner Niclas Grönholm join forces at Construction Equipment Dealer Team (CE Dealer Team) with first-ever full-season gender driver line-up for the 2022 FIA World Rallycross Championship.  

New on the grid in 2022, the CE Dealer Team confirmed its participation last week, with a multi-year commitment to the championship and a pledge to prioritize sustainability, diversity and inclusivity alongside sporting success.

This morning, the Swedish squad formally confirmed driver line-up for the season, Andersson and Grönholm – with the former becoming the first permanent female competitor since the World Championship’s inception eight years ago.

Klara, the younger sister of Euro RX TouringCar event-winner Magda Andersson, made her rallycross debut in 2018 and defeated no fewer than 55 male rivals to clinch the 2021 Swedish Rallycross Championship, in the 2150 class. 

The Sweden Junior National Team member went on to contest two rounds of the inaugural FIA RX2e Championship, impressing with a fourth-place finish first time out at Spa-Francorchamps.

"I am very proud to become the first female full-season World RX driver – this is by far the most inspiring thing I have done in my life. I have a lot to learn, but my long-term goal is to become the first female World Rallycross Champion," Andersson said.

"I have an unconditional love for rallycross; it’s so intense and unpredictable, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel for pre-season testing. While I have rallycross experience, World RX and the awesome 500kW (680bhp) electric beasts that we will race are new to me and none of us are expecting to get anything for free – we have plenty of hard work ahead of us to establish ourselves at the top."

Grönholm is one of the most accomplished drivers in World RX, with multiple race wins to his name, three of which came last year. 

In 2019, the Finn fell just 25 points shy of the title despite missing two rounds due to appendicitis, as he achieved the highest points-per-event tally in the field. He concluded the 2021 season in a career-best third.

"I am honoured and extremely inspired by getting this opportunity with CE Dealer Team, and I think we have strong conditions to fight for the very top. We need to work very hard for each round and while the team is a new set-up, we have a lot of combined experience and I think we can spring some surprises this year," Grönholm said.

Operated by PWR RX and headed up by experienced Team Manager Jussi Pinomäki, CE Dealer Team will join defending title-holders Hansen Motorsport, Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS, ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport, GCK Motorsport and ESmotorsport in the fray in 2022. All teams are currently finalising the development of the ultra-powerful, fully electric cars that will do battle for glory over the coming months.

"CE Dealer Team and its partners strive for gender equality, and our programme is a key part in driving this shift via Klara and Niclas. They complement each other well in terms of raw talent and experience, and we are confident we have a robust set-up that will enable our long-term goal of fighting for the FIA World Rallycross Championship titles," Jussi Pinomäki, Team Manager, CE Dealer Team, said.

"With that said, the competition in World RX is extremely tough and we are humble to the task ahead of us with this new challenge, so we will work calmly and methodically towards our goals."