History repeats itself. As in 2007 and 2009, Mattias Ekstrom has been crowned champion of champions, beating Schumacher in the final. If then he did it at Michael’s expense, this time he has imposed himself on his son, Mick. With this new victory, the Swede equals Sebastien Loeb and Didier Auriol at the top of the victories ranking, and becomes the third driver to achieve four victories in this competition.
The great festival of motor racing, devised by Michelle Mouton in 1988 in memory of the late Henri Toivonen, has had as its stage an icy circuit located by the sea in the Swedish town of Pite Havsbad. With different vehicles, from buggies to the Spanish electric Cupra UrbanRebel, there have been one after another the exciting knockout rounds that have made the Swedish public vibrate.
Some of the best drivers in the history of motorsports have beaten on the ice throughout the weekend to crown Norway as champion of nations and Ekstrom as champion of champions. One of the most versatile drivers, winner of the DTM, in rallies, in rallycross and also in the Dakar, has once again demonstrated his effectiveness.
To reach his fourth Ekstrom title got rid of Travis Pastrana, Johan Kristofersson and Thierry Neuville, until reaching the final with Schumacher. And the German, who he had previously eliminated his compatriot Sebastien Vettel in the semifinals, He hasn’t made it easy. In addition, the Swede had a technical problem in the final sleeve that was about to put an end to his ambitions. “My co-driver told me that we had to stop”, explained the winner at the end, “but I decided to continue and it was worth trying because we got the victory”.
Poker of triumphs for an Ekstrom that once again has prevailed against the best of motorsport. Along the way names like Vettel, Valtteri Bottas, Mikka Hakkinen, David Coulthard, Sebastien Loeb or the two Solbergs, Petter and Oliver, have been falling, that on the first day gave Norway the Nations Cup
