Fresh from the Swedish CrossCar Championship, Carl Svedlund took advantage of his second foray into the RallyX Championship and the Junior CrossCar category to send out a strong message to his rivals with a view to the 2025 season.
Although Carl Svedlund was not one of the natural favourites for the Junior championship when he joined JC Raceteknik last spring, the 14-year-old Swedish driver has once again proved that RallyX is a fantastic breeding ground for drivers.
Fourth in the Rally Sprint event at Tierp 1, the Casmat driver had already proved his speed before facing a more complicated Race 2 the following day, where he was eliminated at the end of the qualifying heats.
The rest was far more productive for Carl Svedlund. Over the last eight races on the calendar, the Swede qualified for a final on six occasions, while also claiming four podiums and his first victory at the beginning of August during the final stage of the season at Buxtehude.
Above all, out of the 30 qualifying rounds in which he took part in 2024, Carl scored no fewer than 18 Top 5 finishes, while taking advantage of the Buxtehude event to defeat a Hagström/Sollie duo whose dominance had never been challenged since the beginning of the championship.
‘It’s obviously a great feeling to be able to take a first victory in the Junior CrossCar. In any case, when I returned to the RallyX championship last spring, I never expected to be able to win races this year,’ points out the young Swedish driver.
‘I don’t know how I got my first win. I think I simply got some good starts and was consistent during the qualifying heats. I didn’t have much pressure before Buxtehude. As always, my priority was to have fun and enjoy myself behind the wheel.”
Behind the scenes, the young Carl Svedlund can rely on an exceptional environment within the JC Raceteknik team, notably by following the advice of former European rally star Fredrik Ahlin.
‘I’m especially lucky to be able to count on a coach like Fredrik. I’ve made a lot of progress with him this year and I’m constantly learning new things thanks to him.”
Only 18th in the overall Junior CrossCar standings last season, with a 12th place as his best result, Carl Svedlund was only ten points off third place this year, claimed by the equally talented Pauli Turpeinen.
‘What’s certain is that the aim is to come back for another full season in Junior CrossCar in 2025. I’m only 14, so I’ve still got two seasons to continue my development as a Junior driver,’ explains Carl Svedlund, who will be one of the main stars of next year’s RallyX championship.
‘I’m not going to change my approach after this victory. I’m going to continue to drive as I did at Buxtehude and hopefully get the best results possible. Above all, this victory gives me confidence for the future. Beating drivers like Hampus Hagström and Olliver Sollie, who have dominated the whole season, is a good thing because I know how fast these drivers are.”
