#YELLOWSQUAD SIGNS SWEDISH TALENT SJÖKVIST FOR RX2E CAMPAIGN
Swedish driver Isak Sjökvist has signed with #YellowSquad to race in the FIA World Rallycross Championship’s FIA RX2e series this year, as team and driver target the coveted title.
Having begun his career in karting, Sjökvist switched to rallycross in the Supercar Lites division of RallyX Nordic in 2021, and made his RX2e debut at Holjes, Sweden the same year, claiming a podium finish in his first-ever start in the all-electric single-specification category.
Since, the 21-year-old has become one of the series front-runners, and in his maiden full campaign last year, finished on the podium in four of the five rounds, claimed a first win at Barcelona in Spain and secured the runner-up position in the series standings.
Now, using experience already gained in the mixed-surface discipline and coupling that with the expertise of title-winning outfit #YellowSquad, Sjökvist will focus on fighting for the FIA RX2e title this season.
The commitment to RX2e also falls in line with the #YellowSquad’s parent company Hansen Motorsport’s vision for a more sustainable future, the Hansen outfit now entering its second term running all-electric RX1e machines in World RX.
As its own entity, #YellowSquad has been a front-runner in various different rallycross series since its inception in 2019. It notably claimed the RX2 International Series crown in 2020 and wins in the NRX NEXT category both in Europe and the USA, highlighting the importance of maximising performance in the highly-competitive single-specification categories. The team has also achieved success in the European Rallycross Championship and RallyX Nordic in Supercar.
For 2023, the FIA RX2e series will support the World Rallycross Championship for five rounds, in Norway, Sweden, UK, Belgium and Germany, the opening round taking place in Hell (Norway) on June 17-18.
Isak Sjökvist, #YellowSquad RX2e Driver: “I’m so excited for this extremely rare and extraordinary opportunity that I have got in my hands for this year. I’ve been in motor sport for almost 10 years, and I’ve always had eyes on climbing to the highest level. When I started rallycross two years ago it felt like a natural habitat to me. That’s the same with joining #YellowSquad and the Hansen Motorsport family, it feels so natural and yet so special at the same time to get this kind of opportunity.
“Getting to work with some of the greatest rallycross drivers ever is almost indescribable – this is a childhood dream becoming a reality. I’ve always tried to push myself to the limit and aim higher and higher. To join #YellowSquad is a really big step in the right direction for me, as they have all the tools I need to develop in my career. There will be a lot of very good drivers in the series this year, but everyone starts from zero and we will work as hard as we can to get the best results possible. There is always room for development.
“As one of the greatest Swedish sportsman, Ingemar Stenmark, once said ‘the more you try the more luck you get’. I think that really suits what I’m doing, I need to train harder, work harder and I’m sure that with #YellowSquad we can make the opportunities even bigger.”
Eric Faren, #YellowSquad Team Manager: “I have been watching Isak since he started his rallycross career and I’ve always been impressed by both his attitude and his performances, especially against far more experienced drivers. We’re very excited to bring him into #YellowSquad for 2023 and to work with him on fighting for the title, because that has to be our goal.
“I think Isak and #YellowSquad is a very good match, so hopefully we can give him the extra support he needs to take the next step and come away with some big results this year. And for us in #YellowSquad it’s also exciting to be doing something new in RX2e, where we will push ourselves to continue achieving what we know we are capable of.”
