At only 14 years old and in his very first weekend behind the wheel of a Supercar Lites, the 2024 RallyX Junior CrossCar champion has already made a strong impression on the track in Riga.

Expectations were high for Hampus Hagström despite his rookie status. Over six qualifying heats in Latvia, the young Swede placed in the Top 5 four times and stayed within four-tenths of a second of leader Roberts Vitols in terms of pure speed across both races of the weekend.

A standout performance on a technically demanding track like Riga, with its twelve corners. Fourth in the intermediate classification during Race 2, Hagström kept Lukas Andersson under constant pressure in the final, only to see the third step of the podium slip away after a steward’s decision following contact with Tobias Daarbak in the first corner.

Hedström Motorsport’s team principal had every reason to be thrilled with his protégé’s performance.

“I wasn’t surprised by Hampus. I’ve been following him closely for two seasons now, and his potential is crystal clear. My goal is to give him every opportunity to keep progressing. I went through the same thing early in my career—having to chase funding just to keep racing. That’s part of the game in this sport.”

Aware of the limitations of a purely national racing program, the Hedström team quickly worked to expand the young driver’s horizons and open international doors.

“Initially, the plan was to stick to the Swedish Rallycross Championship. But to me, that wasn’t enough. Hampus deserved to be seen beyond Sweden. That’s why we brought partners on board to get him to Riga for his first appearance in Supercar Lites. The goal was clear: reach the final in both races. That was the strategy.”

And the young driver delivered. From his very first outing, he impressed not just with his results, but also with his potential.

“What’s next? Build on these results and keep showing potential sponsors that his program is worth expanding. In Riga, he had two objectives: to demonstrate that he could compete at the front and to show his determination to succeed. He achieved both. And, honestly, I wasn’t surprised. I’d already seen that mindset in him long before this race came into play”

In fact, what stands out most isn’t just his pace, but his commitment away from the paddock.

“What strikes me is his dedication. As soon as he’s out of school, he comes straight to the workshop and asks what he can do to help. Of course, we don’t give him anything too complex, but he cleans, paints, helps however he can. He’s young, but he knows exactly what he wants.”

Riga could have been even more memorable were it not for a small hiccup in the final of Race 1.

“In the first race, I honestly think he could’ve made the podium. But we had a radio issue, and he didn’t take the joker lap at the right moment. He was probably also a bit nervous—totally normal for a 14-year-old in their first high-level event.”

But Hagström bounced back with authority in Race 2, taking a clear step forward in just 24 hours.

“In Race 2, he really turned it up. He’s got serious talent. He reminds me of myself when I was younger. Back then, I didn’t care about setups—I just wanted to drive flat out. I started in Folkrace, which is a great school because the cars are rarely in top condition. You have to learn to deal with broken steering or tough handling. Hampus has that adaptability. He’s got that extra spark.”

That same adaptability shows in how he works with the team and handles the technical side.

“He never complains about the setup. If something feels off, he just adjusts his driving. He knows he’s well supported. Between our team and his father Niklas—who was an excellent driver himself—Hampus knows he’s in good hands.”

It’s a rare level of awareness for a driver so young, paired with a clear understanding of what it takes to succeed off the track as well.

“The difference between Niklas and Hampus is that Niklas wasn’t interested in the sponsor side. He had the talent, but not necessarily the drive to go out and find support. Hampus, on the other hand, gets it. He knows it’s key to go further. I connected him with some of my former partners, but I told him to call them himself. His mother helped a lot too.”

“Most of his current sponsors are people I used to work with, and I even gave them a heads-up before he called. That gave him confidence. He saw it wasn’t that complicated. And that confidence—well, it’s something we have to keep nurturing if we want to help him build the strongest possible foundation for his future.”