STCC 2003
Fredrik Ekblom in the Audi A4 STCC

Audi managed an impressive hat-trick in the Swedish Touring Car Championship: Now for the third time in succession an Audi driver has secured the title in the hard-fought series. On Sunday the Team KMS Motorsport celebrated Fredrik Ekblom becoming the new champion. The Audi A4 driver’s second and seventh place finishes in the season finale were enough to secure his triumph.

“This titel is something very special for me,” said the champion after the race. “This year I followed the Audi A4’s entire process of development from the drafting table to the first roll out. It means a lot to me that I was able to bring home the title with this car.”

Ekblom was in magnificant form on the weekend: In qualifying he put his Audi A4 on pole position and was thus able to secure the best starting position in the fight for the title, for which there were several candidates. After second position in the 15 lap sprint race the 32 year-old Swede didn’t put any pressure on in the main race. “I didn’t take any risks whatsoever and wanted to only get the necessary amount of points,” reported Ekblom.

Ekblom’s team mate and Team Director Tommy Kristoffersson was pleased with the result. “We are all unbelievably proud of the success. For Fredrik it’s a kind of late compensation for the bad luck in the season of 2000.” Even then Ekblom was already on the championship path until a puncture in the last race robbed him of his chances for the title.”

Results

Race 1

1 Richard Göransson (BMW) 11 laps in 15m 35.442s
2 Fredrik Ekblom (Audi A4) + 0.900s
3 Tomas Engström (Honda) + 6.407s
4 Johan Stureson (Seat) + 6.808s
5 Niklas Karsson (Alfa Romeo) + 7.410s

Race 2
1 Niklas Karlsson (Alfa Romeo), 18 laps in 25m 20.449s
2 Jan Nilsson (Volvo) + 1.492s
3 Tomas Engström (Honda) + 12.772s
4 Robin Rudholm (Seat) +14.013s
5 Carl Rosenblad (BMW) +20.404s