Hampered by technical problems throughout the Tierp event, Alex Lindeqvist was never truly able to showcase his full potential, repeatedly falling just short of the podium.
However, the Swede has clearly bounced back this weekend at Honkajoki. Fastest in both opening free practice sessions, Lindeqvist edged championship leader Roberts Vitols by 0.037s and 0.012s respectively before going on to secure the second-fastest time in Q1.
After an especially frustrating weekend in Sweden, Alexander Lindeqvist finally appears to have regained the confidence and stability required to fully exploit the potential of his machinery. Plagued by a series of electrical issues at Tierp, the Swedish driver had never been able to put together a clean weekend under normal conditions.
“Sweden was probably one of the worst weekends we’ve had. To be honest, it was extremely difficult. We suffered from a huge number of electrical problems throughout the event.”
Faced with a succession of setbacks, the team worked relentlessly to identify the source of the issues affecting the car’s performance.
“We changed several components, including parts related to the cylinders and a large section of the electrical wiring. Before the final, we thought we had identified the issue, but we eventually discovered another problem after the race. Now everything seems to be fixed and both free practice sessions went perfectly.”
Freed from those mechanical concerns, Lindeqvist immediately rediscovered his pace from the very first laps around the Finnish circuit. Those performances suggest an extremely close battle with Roberts Vitols for the remainder of the weekend.
“We set the fastest time in both sessions and the gaps were almost non-existent. From the very first qualifying heat, it was incredibly close, especially coming out of the Joker Lap. I genuinely think we could see some great battles this weekend.”
Fully aware of the benchmark currently set by the championship leader in the category, Lindeqvist is nevertheless encouraged by his ability to match Vitols on outright pace.
“Roberts is an extremely fast driver and he has much more experience than me in this category. So when you’re able to match his speed, it’s obviously very positive.”
For Lindeqvist, the difference could now come down to the smallest details given how closely matched the leading contenders appear to be.
“The gaps between us are tiny now. Everything will probably come down to the starts, the execution of the Joker Lap or small details. If you look at the lap times, there’s almost nothing between us.”
The Swedish driver is expecting an intensely competitive weekend on a circuit where opportunities to gain time remain plentiful, but where even the slightest mistake can prove costly.
“I think this can produce some really good racing. In any case, it should be very exciting to watch.”
Clearly impressed by the characteristics of the Honkajoki circuit, Lindeqvist already considers the Finnish venue among his favourite tracks on the calendar.
“It’s probably one of the most enjoyable circuits I’ve ever driven. For me, Portugal still remains the absolute benchmark, but this track is definitely in my top three.”
Lindeqvist also believes this type of layout demands total concentration due to the extremely high cornering speeds carried through the faster sections.
“Here, you need to stay patient. It’s crucial to hold the right line through the gravel sections while still carrying a huge amount of speed through the corners.”
“The cornering speeds are so high that even the smallest mistake can cost you heavily. If you miss your braking point slightly or put a rear wheel into the dust, you immediately lose a massive amount of time.”
Characteristics that perfectly match what Lindeqvist looks for in his driving style.
“That’s exactly what I enjoy about this kind of circuit. It requires a huge amount of concentration and the slightest mistake immediately allows your rival to close back in.”