Despite three Swedish and two Northern European championship titles, Noel Eliasson discovered in 2023 the charms and difficulties of the RallyX championship in a CrossCar category where the slightest approximation can be enough to turn everything upside down.
While the CrossCar category has been steadily developing since its introduction into the RallyX championship, it is above all home to a plethora of national champions. From Scandinavia to the Baltic States, it’s simply the best of the best who compete every weekend.
A problem that rookie Noel Eliasson was well aware of in 2023. With a dozen career titles to his name, the 20-year-old Swede had to settle for 13th place overall.
Still, the Swedish national team member was not surprised at the thought of having to go through a logical learning process.
“The level is extremely high. There are a lot of drivers with the speed to win races. In addition, my move to RallyX has forced me to rethink the way I do things. In the Swedish championship I was fighting for the best possible position, but now I also have to think about the clock,” notes Noel.
“The smallest mistake can send you ten places back at the end of a qualifying session. I’ve always been used to competing in tough championships, but in RallyX everything is much more intense. Last year I went from a championship where we were 5 or 6 favorites to a RallyX championship where you have to fight against 20 drivers who have the potential to qualify for a final and fight for the podium every weekend.”
A situation to which must be added the diversity of technical choices on which the favorites can rely. In 2023, no less than three different brands were among the top 10 in the final overall standings.
For his part, Noel Eliasson has opted for the EDGE chassis that saw Oscar Andersson win the championship in 2022.
“The Speedcar is a proven machine, but we’ve also seen with Patrik Hallberg and Oscar Andersson that the EDGE chassis can be very competitive. I know I can be fast with this car, but I just need more time to unlock its full potential. Even though it’s very difficult to fight for the top places in RallyX, Oscar and Patrik have shown us that it’s possible to win with this car, which can only be a good sign for the future. In fact, there are so many different manufacturers and competitive drivers that it’s this combination that makes this championship so intense.
Despite failing to secure a single qualification for a final event in 2023, Noel clearly has no regrets about his decision to bet on the RallyX championship.
“It was at the end of the 2022 season that the desire to compete in the RallyX championship really started to grow. I’d just won the Swedish and NEZ championships and we felt it was time to try something else. I felt I had come full circle and I have absolutely no regrets about entering RallyX because it’s such an incredible championship.”
“I think we’ve learned from our mistakes in 2023 and the aim is to continue working on my driving and on the car, trying to correct all the little things that caused us problems last year. One of our priorities is to avoid repeating our mistakes and to prepare much better than last year. With a little bit of success we might be able to fight for victory.”
One thing is for sure, in this explosive context, Noel Eliasson finds in the Swedish national team an ally and support of choice.
“Being part of the Swedish national team was especially useful for me at the beginning of the 2023 season, when I was in a bit of a difficult situation,” Noel points out.
“You know you’ll find the support you need, but that’s also the case during the off-season, when the national team provides me with everything I need to take care of my physical condition and improve my driving. In fact, everything is done to help me become a better driver. After a season like the one I had in 2023, the support offered by the SBF is very important. We can discuss the positive points and what I need to do to improve the areas where I underperformed”.
“And then we can also talk to the other drivers in the team who have a lot more experience. It’s always useful to talk to the best. It helps to anticipate how to react in a specific situation. I’ve learned a lot from them. Patrik Hallberg has helped me a lot by telling me what I need to do if I want to fight for the RallyX title, but I also know that I can ask questions to references like Marcus Ericsson or Johan Kristoffersson. It’s very instructive because at the beginning of their careers they faced the same problems I’m facing now. Whether mentally or in terms of driving, these interactions really help you progress.”
A powerful argument that will not go amiss in a category where absolutely nothing is left to chance…
