Ekström believes that COTA should suit their EKS Audi Supercar.

PHOTO CREDIT: Audi Sport

This weekend, EKS Audi Sport heads to Austin (Texas) for the first FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX) round in the United States.

Mattias Ekström knows the Circuit of the Americas primarily as a race track for Formula One and MotoGP events. “So far, I’ve only seen the rallycross track during a Facebook Live Session of the American championship. It appears to be very compact and should suit our small car well. In addition, there seem to be a number of cool jumps,” says Ekström.

In 2010, Ekström raced as a guest in the American NASCAR series twice. Last weekend, he competed in the Nitro World Games in Salt Lake City, in where took second place.

His teammate, Andreas Bakkerud, has contested a rallycross race at the Circuit of the Americas before. “That was in 2014, as part of the X Games,” says Bakkerud. “It was extremely hot and we had unusually high grip at the start. For all the drivers and teams, developing the best strategy at the start will be a new challenge. I’m looking forward to new fans and a couple of barbecue steaks – after all, Texas is famous for them.”

The Circuit of The Americas, World RX circuit is the shortest on the calendar with a length of 812 meters is located in the stadium area of the Formula One circuit between Turns 12 and 15, and features a spectacular jump. 

Mattias Ekström and Andreas Bakkerud intend to defend positions two and three in the drivers’ world championship at Austin.