The absence of Roberts Vitols at Älvsbyn this weekend presented a major opportunity in the Supercar Lites title fight, and Alexander Lindeqvist made the most of it. Fresh from his victory in the second round at Honkajoki, the Team OMSE driver claimed a second consecutive win on Saturday, defeating Pontus Oskarsson and Mads Larsen to move into sole possession of the RallyX North championship lead.

Lindeqvist’s rise has been one of the surprises of the season. Having stepped into his first full-fledged race car during the off-season, the former CrossCar competitor entered the 2026 campaign expecting a significant learning curve before he could challenge the category’s established frontrunners.

Five races later, the picture looks very different. Thanks to this latest victory, the Swede now sits at the top of the championship standings and has firmly established himself as a genuine title contender.

Having already topped the intermediate standings after qualifying thanks to fastest times in both Q2 and Q3, Lindeqvist nevertheless faced a much tougher challenge in the final. Starting from pole position, the Team OMSE driver lost the lead to Kevin Daarbak at the opening corner in extremely tricky conditions.

“The final was much more complicated than qualifying,” explained Alexander Lindeqvist. “We raced in the rain throughout the day before the track gradually started to dry. From pole position, we found ourselves on a section of the grid that was still very wet, while the other starting slots were already much drier. As soon as I saw the conditions before the final, I immediately knew the start would be difficult with slick tyres on such a wet surface.”

Aware of the risks, the Swede opted for caution before launching his attack.

“The main objective was to protect the inside line into the first corner and minimise the damage. After that, we pushed as hard as possible. I found an opening on the third lap, managed to get through and from that point on I gave it everything I had until the finish.”

The decisive moment of the race ultimately came at the expense of Kevin Daarbak. After taking the lead with an excellent launch, the Dane saw his hopes of victory disappear following a puncture.

“We got a very good start in the final and were in an ideal position,” Daarbak explained after the race. “Unfortunately, I picked up a puncture in the final section of the second lap. At first, the loss of pressure was limited and I tried to hang on, but on the following lap Alexander found a way through on the inside. Then, over the jump, the tyre completely gave way and I ended up driving on the rim. From that point on, there was no way to defend our position.”

The setback eventually dropped Daarbak to fifth place in the final, while Josefin Holmqvist capitalised on the situation to secure fourth. Ahead of them, Pontus Oskarsson claimed his third podium finish of the season by taking second place behind Lindeqvist.

For Daarbak, the disappointment was all the greater given how close he had come to victory.

“It’s especially frustrating because we were leading the final at that stage. After all the problems we experienced at this same circuit last year, particularly several punctures, we had finally found reliability again. Unfortunately, bad luck struck us at the worst possible moment.”

The championship implications are significant. Having arrived at Älvsbyn level on points, Lindeqvist will now head into Sunday’s action holding a seven-point advantage over his Danish rival.

“Before the final, the gap between Alexander and myself was virtually non-existent. We were tied on points and the championship battle was incredibly close,” added Daarbak. “After finishing fifth, there’s obviously more ground to make up, but the pace was there. If we can reproduce what we showed before the puncture, we’ll have everything we need to fight back tomorrow.”

For Lindeqvist, taking over the championship lead marks another milestone in a rise that has been as rapid as it has been unexpected.

“Taking the championship lead is obviously great news. It’s certainly not a bad day. I particularly enjoy old-school rallycross circuits with plenty of dirt and only a few asphalt sections. That’s exactly the kind of track where I can show my true potential.”

With track conditions constantly evolving throughout the day, the Team OMSE driver believes there is still room for improvement heading into the second day of competition.

“The conditions were extremely difficult to read today. When the track gradually transitions from wet to dry, you’re constantly making decisions regarding tyres, setup and the overall balance of the car. Whether it’s completely dry or completely wet, there’s always something you can improve. We’ll analyse the data tonight and try to optimise every detail for tomorrow.”

Daarbak shared a similar view despite the frustrating outcome of his race.

“I enjoyed the changing conditions, with a wet track in the morning that became progressively drier throughout the day. It was an interesting challenge for the drivers. Unfortunately, our race ended because of that puncture while we were still in a position to fight for the win.”

As the second day of competition approaches, Alexander Lindeqvist now holds the upper hand in the championship battle. The next challenge will be turning that provisional advantage into a genuine grip on the Supercar Lites title race.