After securing the CrossCar title last season behind the wheel of his Casmat chassis, Elias Svensson made an impressive debut in both the FC2 and Open 4WD categories by clinching a podium finish right out of the gate at Montalegre. However, the 20-year-old Swedish driver faced a much tougher challenge last weekend on the Valkenswaard circuit.
Two incidents in Q1 and Q2 on Saturday dashed his hopes early, leaving him little chance to showcase his true potential. Although Svensson attempted to bounce back with a 7th-fastest time in Q3, a fifth-place finish in the semi-final ultimately kept him from advancing further.
“Honestly, I can’t really explain how I ended up in that situation,” Elias admitted after the first day of competition.
“Saturday was incredibly frustrating, and I know I’ll need to put it behind me quickly before Race 2. It just felt like I didn’t get any real driving in today. Sure, the upside is that I’ll have fresher tyres for Sunday—but truthfully, I’d have preferred more track time than that kind of advantage.”
“The track looks pretty straightforward at first glance, but it’s got its tricky spots. And when you’re not yet fully in sync with the car, it’s hard to really extract the most from the layout. Still, I’m pushing forward, learning with the car… and the speed will come.”
Despite a difficult weekend, Svensson managed to notch two Top 8 finishes on Sunday, earning a spot in the FC2 final. It was a performance that, while not without frustration, gave him reasons to remain positive.
“I made good progress today, and I’m pleased with that. We made a few adjustments to the car. Before that, I wasn’t comfortable at all—it just wasn’t reacting the way I needed it to. But the changes we made definitely helped. I still have a lot to figure out. Coming from CrossCar, I used to understand every technical detail inside and out. Now, I’m adjusting to a completely new environment. I’m not fully up to speed yet on all the specifics of this car, but I’m learning every race.”
One thing is certain: time is on Elias Svensson’s side.
“It’s a bit tough to match the others’ pace without doing proper testing ahead of a race. For me, every weekend is like a live learning session, which makes it all the more challenging. But I’m happy with the progress I made today. Taking part in the FC2 final was important—each race helps me understand the car better. Every final is another step forward in my development.”