With his amazing Toyota Starlet, Lucas Gabrielsson has established himself as one of the stars of the 2024 season in the Open 2WD category. Winner of the Pro Am championship thanks to four wins over the course of the year, the Finnish driver intends to move up a gear next season.
At 33 and having raced outside Finland for the first time, Lucas Gabrielsson has managed to compete with the best in his category. In addition to winning the Pro Am championship, the Toyota Starlet has also made life difficult for the powerful monsters of the Pro championship.
In six races, Lucas took care to qualify five times for a final, while also claiming third place on the podium on two occasions.
To these figures must be added four best times in qualifying heats and five best laps in races. What’s more, in 18 qualifying runs, Gabrielsson managed to finish in the Top 3 on nine occasions.
‘I’m very satisfied with what we’ve been able to show in 2024,’ says Lucas.
‘We’ve clearly been able to step up a gear, while this season has enabled me to realise my true potential. I started to gain confidence in myself and in the car on tracks like Nysum and Älvsbyn, even though I had absolutely no experience on these venues. It was my very first time competing outside Finland, and I’m extremely grateful to everyone who helped make it possible.’
While his spectacular driving style clearly delighted fans of the RallyX championship, Lucas admits to being stunned that he was able to perform at such a high level.
‘I was really surprised by my performance. Of course, Kouvola no longer holds any secrets for me. I know perfectly well what limits I must not exceed and how to use my car to its full potential on this track.”
‘On the other hand, it’s clear that I was much more nervous before Nysum. I’d only been able to watch a few videos and some of the onboard cameras. Nevertheless, on such a fast circuit, I quickly saw that I could keep up with the pace. In that context, I had no reason to be nervous, and I had a more than successful weekend overall. Between the fervour of the fans and the atmosphere of the event, Nysum will remain one of the highlights of my 2024 season.’
Comforted by his potential and the skills of his ultra-agile Toyota Starlet, Lucas Gabrielsson hopes to confirm as soon as possible the performances he was able to achieve in 2024.
‘The chassis of our car is clearly our strong point. We’ve worked hard on it while adding an excellent engine and a very good transmission. We’ve clearly relied on a very good weight distribution.’
‘Our car is lighter, something that allows us to have shorter braking distances and therefore compensate for our lack of power compared to the other cars in the Pro class. Our Toyota Starlet is very small, but I think everyone saw that it has a very strong temperament,’ explains Lucas.
From now on, the Finnish driver hopes to complete his first full RallyX programme.
‘Ever since my first RallyX experience at Kouvola in 2022, I’ve dreamed of being able to take part in a full championship. The concept of the RallyX championship works very well, and that’s why I want to take part in the full series in 2025. I really hope we can make that happen. Of course, there’s a lot of work involved, but we’ll give absolutely everything we’ve got to make our dream come true.’
As proof, the Porvoo-based driver is already hard at work.
‘In terms of upgrades, we’re mainly planning to focus on the engine with the aim of having more power. As for the rest, our ambition will be to push for the podium every weekend while trying to make life difficult for the best drivers in this championship.”
‘One thing is certain, after winning the Pro Am title in 2024, the next step will naturally be to focus on the Pro championship. The RallyX championship is developing, and that’s great. It’s going to offer all the drivers even greater prospects and opportunities. It’s really a remarkable job that’s been done by the promoter.’
