Open 4WD Pro championship leader Oliver Eriksson heads into the final two races of the season at Estering with a 21-point advantage over Lukas Andersson. An ideal position on paper, but the Olsbergs MSE driver believes the best strategy is to stick to the attacking approach that has served him throughout the season.

With three wins and five podium finishes from eight races, Eriksson has built his advantage through remarkable consistency. Lukas Andersson has frequently matched him in terms of outright performance, but the championship leader has managed to limit the damage on his more difficult weekends, reaching seven finals compared to six for his rival from Värmland.

“It’s obviously a good position to be in, but more than anything, it’s been a really enjoyable season racing against Lukas. We’ve had very close battles all year, with plenty of speed and some great fights on track. Obviously, I want to finish it off with a good result here at Estering.

It’s been a good year. I think that even on my more difficult weekends, my level has remained high. That’s probably what has allowed me to build this lead. Maybe my worst results have been slightly better than his, and that’s why we’re in the position we’re in today. I just want to finish the season with two more good battles.”

Rather than calculating how many points he needs to secure the title, Eriksson intends to maintain the same approach he has followed since the beginning of the year. The Swedish driver believes that it is precisely when he starts thinking too much about the championship that he becomes most vulnerable.

“I’ve been doing rallycross for quite a while now, and I’ve learned one thing about myself: when I start thinking too much, I end up making stupid mistakes.

I approach every race in the same way. I simply want to go out there and win. From free practice onwards, the goal is to put myself in a good position for Q1, then score as many points as possible and take it lap by lap from there.”

Estering also represents a particular challenge for Eriksson, who has yet to achieve the result he has been looking for at the German circuit.

“I’ve never really had the result I’ve wanted at this track, so I really want to do well here and finish the season in the best possible way.

When you put yourself in a position to win the race, the points usually come with it. So I’m going to approach this weekend exactly like any other.

It will also be interesting to race against a few more Supercars here and see where we stand against them this year. There are usually some great battles at Estering, so I’ll be ready to fight for another win.”

With Lukas Andersson now left with no other option but to attack, the championship leader intends to respond in exactly the same way.