When it comes to racing, there is only one thing that Mattias Ekström has in mind this year: winning the FIA World Rallycross Championship again. At the beginning of the year, the 2016 Champion decided to end his impressive career in the DTM and to fully focus on his World RX commitment.

On achieving success in the 2016 World Rallycross Championship, Ekström once again proved that he is one of the most universal race drivers. Between 2001 and 2017, the Swede contested 195 DTM races for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, celebrating 23 victories and two titles (2004, 2007) in the process. With that, Ekström is the most successful Audi DTM campaigner in history. In addition, his career has seen him triumph four times in the Race of Champions, racing in the World Rally Championship and NASCAR, and celebrating overall victory in 2011 in the world’s most prestigious GT3 endurance race: the Spa 24 Hours .

In 2018, he is exclusively focused on rallycross. Here Ekström is more than just a race driver. Since 2014 he has been team principal as well – a dual role he was not able to imagine for a long time. When he was a young boy his father was racing in the European Rallycross Championship, but this sport, until recently, was “too dirty” for Mattias. His opinion changed when he ran as a guest entrant in the 2013 European Rallycross Championship. Following second place on home soil in Höljes, Ekström decided to return and win. With friends, partners and longstanding companions he began to put his plan into action – and went on to crown this effort with the World Championship title in 2016. Much of what he has learned at Audi Sport and ABT is reflected in his own rallycross team. 

Even after more than two decades in motor racing, Mattias Ekström continues to be hungry for success. At the same time, his family has been playing a greater part in his life in recent years – having more time for them is also the main reason why he is competing in only one series this year. He uses an Audi Q7 to drive to other commitments and for trips with his partner, Heidi, and the children. “It’s simply the best family car for me,” says the father of two.

Profile Mattias Ekström

Date of birth July 14, 1978
Place of birth Falun (S)
Residence Munich (D)
Marital status single (partner Heidi), one son (Mats), one daughter (Hanna)
Height/weight 1.83 m/79 kg
Motorsport since 1993 (Audi driver since 1999)
Hobbies cross-country skiing, jogging, mountainbiking, skiing, tennis

Major successes
1996 1st Swedish Renault 5 Cup, “Young Driver of the Year“
1999 1st Swedish Touring Car Championship (Audi A4 quattro)
2004 1st DTM (Audi A4 DTM), 4 victories; 1st Gr. N Rally Sweden and Rally Catalunya
2005 2nd DTM (Audi A4 DTM), 3 victories; 1st Nations Cup Race of Champions
2006 1st Race of Champions
2007 1st DTM (Audi A4 DTM), 1 victory; 1st Race of Champions
2011 2nd DTM (Audi A4 DTM), 3 victories; 1st 24 Hours of Spa (Audi R8 LMS)
2014 2nd DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM), 2 victories 
2016 1st FIA World RX (Audi S1 EKS RX quattro), 4 victories
2017 2nd DTM (Audi RS 5 DTM), 1 victory; 2nd FIA World RX (Audi S1 EKS RX quattro), 4 victories
2018 2nd FIA World RX (Audi S1 EKS RX quattro)

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