After a rocky start to the season, Lukas Andersson managed to turn the tide during the most recent round in Valkenswaard, clinching his first victory of the year and restoring confidence just in time for the third RallyX meeting of the season on the challenging Riga circuit.
Having been kept off the top step of the podium since the start of the 2025 campaign, Andersson didn’t have to wait long to assert his ambitions in the highly competitive Supercar Lites category.
The JC Raceteknik driver opened the year with a promising second-place finish in Montalegre 1, but was unable to follow up with any top-three results in the next two events. Things reached a low point during the first race in Valkenswaard, when a dramatic rollover in Q3 nearly derailed his weekend altogether.
But the young Swedish driver bounced back in spectacular fashion the following day. He topped the intermediate classification for the first time this season and went on to secure his first win of the year in the final, ahead of Julien Meunier and Robert Vitols.
“I’m really proud of what we accomplished in Race 2 at Valkenswaard,” Andersson said. “The entire team, and everyone involved in this journey, did an outstanding job.”
“From the start of day two, everything just clicked. The warm-up gave me confidence—I felt great in the car, and everything was working perfectly. The only downside was the engine cuts we experienced again, the same ones that had appeared the day before, just before I made that mistake and rolled the car in Race 1.”
“Despite that, I stayed calm in Q3 because I knew I had virtually secured the top spot in the intermediate classification as long as I didn’t make any major errors. Between Q3 and the final, the team worked tirelessly for over two hours trying to identify the cause of the issue. Even though we thought we had found the solution, the engine cuts reappeared in the second lap of the final. From that point on, I really had to fight behind the wheel to fend off Julien Meunier’s attacks.”
“My spotter warned me that he was right behind, pushing hard. Fortunately, I managed to hold him off until the finish. This first win of the season means a lot. It’s a huge boost—for the team, for me, and most of all for my confidence. Sometimes, it feels good when luck starts to swing back your way. I feel like I’m getting back to my true level. And this strong points haul in the Netherlands is deeply satisfying.”
While the 2025 season still has nine races to go, Andersson isn’t hiding his ambitions—especially now that he’s up to third in the overall standings, just two points behind Julien Meunier.
“In the last two seasons, I started off strong with podiums and wins, but lost momentum toward the end. Maybe this year, we’re seeing the opposite: a gradual rise. And if that’s the case, it could definitely play in my favor in the title race.”
The next round, set for May 9–10 in Latvia, could well confirm that trend.
“I feel at home in Riga. I’ve always had a good feeling there in CrossCar, so I don’t see why it would be any different in Supercar Lites. The Bikernieki track is demanding and highly technical—exactly the kind of challenge I enjoy. I’m heading there with a lot of confidence after the win in the Netherlands, and most importantly, with a smile on my face. I fully intend to enjoy every moment.”