After her career-best performance last year, when she finished seventh overall in the Supercar Lites category, Ida Törnhult is preparing for her fourth consecutive RallyX championship campaign.
After finishing 17th and 18th overall in the Supercar Lites category in her first two seasons in 2021 and 2022, Ida Törnhult has used 2023 to take a significant step forward in her development.
In addition to her first ever qualification for a final at Kouvola circuit, her last three races have each resulted in at least a top 5 finish in the qualifying heats.
Coming from the world of folkrace and rallying, Ida Törnhult is not unhappy with her recent improvement.
“I had a lot of fun last year, but I’ve also made a lot of progress compared to last season,” says Ida.
“My top speed was much more satisfying, while I managed to qualify for a final in Finland. It’s a performance I’ve come close to repeating on several occasions. But even if I’ve made good progress over the past year, so have my rivals, who are getting stronger every year.”
For Ida, the numbers don’t lie. Compared to the 2022 season, her performance in terms of pure speed has improved by a full second compared to the best performer in the Supercar Lites category.
“I can only be happy with my 2023 season. This first qualification for a final has been a great boost to my confidence. At the Norwegian event in Grenland I was able to show that I can stay calm in the rain, which allowed me to move up a few places in the class hierarchy (Ida was 4th fastest in Q3 – ed). I was able to show that I am getting more and more comfortable at the wheel of this car and that means I can now attack by pushing my limits a little further”.
Nevertheless, Ida has every intention of continuing her work.
“I’m a competitive person, so I’m not the type to settle. I’m never completely satisfied with my performance and that’s what drives me to always want to do better. The fact that I’ve been able to drive on ice during the winter since last year has given me a better understanding of the car’s dynamics and I’ve adopted a more adapted driving style than in the past. I have more confidence in the car and that’s why I’m able to stay calm when grip conditions get tricky.”
“I know that I still have to work to improve my speed and find those few tenths that I’m still missing. If the others can do it, there’s no reason why I can’t. Once I’ve done that, I think I’ll be able to make life even harder for my rivals.”
“My expectations for this 2024 season are simple: to continue to enjoy myself and prove that I’ve made further progress in terms of pure speed. I know we’re going to have even more drivers in Supercar Lites and that’s a good thing. Obviously I’m hoping to get back into the final and fight for more than just sixth place. If I can do that, I know my confidence will be even higher and that will spur me on to attack even harder.”
