EKS, Mattias Ekström’s World Rallycross title-winning team, has announced that it is withdrawing from the Swedish Rally Championship with immediate effect.
Ekström, who won the 2016 World RX championship as both driver and team owner, had switched the focus of his team to Sweden’s domestic rally series at the beginning of this year, fielding a pair of Škoda Fabia R5s and a Ford Fiesta R2 in the Junior category.
However the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has now forced the team to shelve its plans indefinitely.
“Unfortunately, the world was struck by the global pandemic of COVID-19 virus, that since early March has halted most of the racing and left a lasting impact in the motorsport industry and everything that surrounds it,” the team said in a statement. “The world is changing and EKS will change with it.
“Therefore, EKS withdraws from the Swedish Rally Championship with an immediate effect.”
Ekström confirmed that while the team was ending its SRC involvement, it was exploring opportunities to compete elsewhere in the future.
“I really enjoy rallying and it always gives me thrills, to drive as fast as I can on a twisty forest road, but in this time and situation, we just cannot commit as a team to what we thought would be our main objective this year,” said Ekström.
“EKS has been and always will be a trendsetter and we keep our eyes open for opportunities in this new world order.”
Photo: Joel Carlsson
Ekström and team-mate Thomas Thunström had finished second and third overall on the season-opening Rally Vännäs in the team’s pair of Škoda Fabias, with Adam Westlund completing the trio of EKS cars with sixth place in the Junior class.
Though its in-house rally programme has been curtailed, EKS confirmed that it will continue to act as a preparation firm for its drivers should they continue competing in the championship independently.
EKS remains active in World RX in a similar role, providing technical support for JC Raceteknik’s two-car Audi entry this season.
