Mattias Ekström will concentrate his efforts in World RX

Since the start of his FIA World Rallycross Championship program, Mattias Ekström had to balance his commitments in the mixed surfaces with the touring car action in DTM, and since he decided to tackle the World RX on a full time basis, he had times to ponder where to race as both championships had clashes here and there. This will not be a thing in 2018 though as the Swede announced that he will dedicate himself entirely to EKS and retire from the german touring car championship.

Even though EKS acquired the support of Audi Sport in 2017, the team’s future was a bit uncertain, specially with the news of Toomas Heikkinen and Reinis Nitiss departing from the team since last Christmas. Ekström himself revealed in the presentation of his program that he had to talk with family and Audi Sport’s Dieter Gass as to where to go in the future, which ultimately led to rallycross. Also, with his fleet of Audi S1 RX being put to sale, severe changes would come to EKS.

Ekström had to skip the DTM finale to pursue the World RX title in 2016, which he in fact conquered, and in 2017 he skipped the Höljes round in order to keep the title race in DTM, losing the third crown by an agonizingly close margin to René Rast.

EKS still has to do an announcement about the rest of the details for 2018, which will come soon, and along with the car, the expectation is about who may be Ekström’s team mate.

PHOTO: EKS