While Swedish driver Erik Lidman did not truly have the opportunity to showcase his full potential in RallyX last season—having competed in only a single event at the Älvsbyn Circuit—he could nonetheless have some strong arguments to challenge the leading specialists in the Open 2WD Category.
Last June, Lidman arrived in the Älvsbyn paddock behind the wheel of a brand-new machine. A one-off appearance that resulted in a fifth-place finish in the first race of the weekend, before contact the following day brought his hopes to an early end.
Nevertheless, this first taste of competition left a positive impression on the future GK Door Team Sweden driver.
“Last year, our BMW E30 M3 made its very first official race appearance at Älvsbyn, even though we had only completed a few test sessions beforehand. Honestly, considering our limited preparation, I was quite satisfied with our performance during the first day of competition. Of course, the rest of the weekend didn’t unfold as we had hoped because of that incident, but overall our feeling with this new machine was very positive.”
It must be said that the chassis design was entrusted to Swedish wizard Ingvar Gunnarsson, a man for whom rallycross holds few secrets.
“The car was built in 2024 by Ingvar Gunnarsson before being finalised in the spring of 2025. Motordesign Sweden supplied us with a 3.2-litre 16-valve Volvo engine featuring a very strong power curve that perfectly matches the characteristics of our chassis. We also use a five-speed sequential gearbox supplied by Motordesign. As for the suspension, designed by Ingvar, it is equipped with Öhlins components.”
Built around a solid technical foundation and a carefully developed mechanical package, Erik Lidman’s BMW E30 M3 is unlikely to go unnoticed in 2026.
“After the heavy impact we suffered at Älvsbyn last year during the second day of competition, we completely straightened the chassis while the transmission was fully overhauled. In the aftermath of the accident, I also made sure to order a new chassis, and our plan is to transfer all of our mechanical components onto it during the summer.”
Despite the setback, Lidman remains particularly struck by the strong sense of camaraderie that characterises the RallyX paddock—an environment where fierce competition does not prevent teams from helping each other when it truly matters.
“The spirit within RallyX is remarkable. At Tierp in 2024, I suffered a heavy crash into the wall and thought I wouldn’t be able to restart. The Tiger team immediately came over to help repair the car so I could get back on track. That sense of solidarity is also what makes me believe I made the right choice by committing to RallyX. I really can’t wait for the season to begin.”