Lucas Gabrielsson has never been closer to claiming his first RallyX title. Leading the Open 2WD championship ahead of the opening race at Estering, the Finn needs just five more points to secure the crown. He could achieve that goal as early as the end of Saturday’s qualifying heats.
His position is the reward for an almost flawless season so far. With three wins and eight podium finishes from eight races, Gabrielsson has never finished outside the top three since the start of the campaign. That consistency has proved particularly valuable in Open 2WD, a category where mechanical reliability is regularly one of the keys to success.
Despite being so close to the title, there is no question of getting carried away. Between Nysum and Estering, the Toyota Starlet driver preferred to enjoy a few quiet days before heading into the final event of the season.
“No, there were no early celebrations. We’ll celebrate once all the races have been completed and the result is final,” Lucas explained.
“We’ve been taking things easy. We arrived on Tuesday and spent a day at the campsite before moving into the paddock. Since then, I’ve just been relaxing here. I also spent a day in Hamburg, looking around a little and simply enjoying a day off.”
Heading into the opening qualifying sessions at Buxtehude, Gabrielsson knows exactly what remains to be done. With only five points required, the temptation to play it safe could be strong. However, the Finn does not want to radically change an approach that has taken him to the podium in every race this season.
“We haven’t really made any specific plans. Obviously, we’ll try to take things a little easier on Saturday morning to get the points we need. After that, we can go flat out for the rest of the weekend.
“The idea is to be careful at the beginning, but not too careful. If I start driving while constantly thinking that I need to save the car or something like that, my driving doesn’t come naturally anymore.
“So we need to avoid taking unnecessary risks, make it to the finish and put together some good races. I think that should be enough to get the points we need.”
The calculation looks simple on paper. Executing it may prove more difficult. In a category where mechanical issues can quickly turn the running order upside down, Gabrielsson will need to find the right balance between caution and pace without becoming so conservative that it disrupts his natural driving style.
To achieve that, the Finn can also draw on the famous concept of “sisu”, a notion deeply rooted in Finnish culture that is difficult to translate literally. It combines determination, resilience and mental strength, reflecting the ability to keep moving forward regardless of the circumstances.
“Yes, you have to get your mind into a certain state. I don’t really know how to properly translate the Finnish word into English, but you have to have sisu.”
Five points away from the first RallyX title of his career, Lucas Gabrielsson now only needs to finish the job. If the Finn can maintain the consistency he has shown throughout the season in the opening heats at Estering, he could quickly free himself from the pressure of the championship and approach the rest of the weekend with a single objective: rediscover the freedom to attack.