ROC 2023 Sweden: Estrom crowned champion of champions
31st January 2023Double DTM and World Rallycross champion Mattias Ekstrom was crowned Champion of Champions after he pipped Mick Schumacher to the title for a fourth time.
Following Saturday’s action where, father-and-son pairing, Petter and Oliver Solberg defended their nations cup title after their first win last year, it was time for the individual race of champions.
In a similar instance to the first day, the competing drivers have two sprints to determine a winner. In the outcome where the heat ends 1-1, the driver with the quickest overall time would progress through.
In order to reach the Grand Final, Ekstrom and Schumacher were forced to battle for top honours against 18 other world-class drivers. The knock-out stages were separated into two groups, international and circuit drivers (F1, IndyCar, F2 etc.) and rally drivers, including those who have expert knowledge of off-road driving.
How Ekstrom and Schumacher reached the final
Schumacher soon took out, Formula 2 World Champion, Felipe Drugovich in the quarter-finals with the quickest time after the two drivers finished the round, tied 1-1.
At the same time, Ekstrom dispatched fellow Swede and World Rallycross champion, Johan Kristofferson, to progress into the semi-finals.
Schumacher quickly defeated his fellow countryman, Sebastian Vettel, two-nil in the semi-finals to progress into the final.
While, of the rallying drivers, Ekstrom secured his progression to the final by beating Hyundai’s 2023 WRC driver, Thierry Neuville.
The Grand Final
Despite an impressive run by the newly-appointed Mercedes F1 reserve driver, Schumacher, the young German was slapped with a decisive defeat at the hands of Ekstrom who secured his fourth ROC title on home soil.
Ekstrom’s fourth title in the Race of Champions now puts the Swedish level with the record of most-successful drivers in the series, Didier Auriol and Sebastien Loeb.
However, his fourth title also comes with a special moment for the Swede.
In two of his previous successes at the Race of Champions, Ekstrom secured the title twice against Schumacher’s father, F1 icon and legend: Michael Schumacher, at London’s Wembley Stadium (2007) and Beijing’s Olympic Stadium (2009).
That’s all for the article; ROC 2023 Sweden: Ekstrom crowned champion of champions!
What did you think of Mattias Ekstrom’s performance? Let us know in the comments!
Read more WRC here:
- ROC Sweden 2023: Solbergs secure nations cup for second time
- Rossel secures victory in Monte-Carlo after Gryazin penalty
- Rallye Monte-Carlo: Ogier remains ahead after Rovanpera attack
- Rallye Monte-Carlo: Ogier maintains WRC lead on Friday
- Rallye Monte-Carlo: Ogier dominates opening day to take early lead
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
