With a promising rookie season under her belt, this was the year where Klara Andersson needed to avoid the ‘difficult second album’ syndrome and establish herself as a consistent contender in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Mission accomplished.
In the Portuguese curtain-raiser at Montalegre, the Swede pipped her hero, Sébastien Loeb, to fifth in the final, less than two seconds adrift of CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment stablemate Niclas Grönholm. In round two in Norway, she matched the fourth-place finish she had achieved at the same circuit ten months earlier – and in both events, she outpaced the more experienced Grönholm in the SuperPole session. The pair would end the campaign honours-even in the single-lap shootout.
Andersson saved her best performance until last in Hong Kong. After lapping third-quickest in heat one on the opening day around the downtown Central Harbourfront circuit, the 22-year-old topped the timesheets outright in heat three 24 hours later – the first female ever to do so at the international pinnacle of the sport – before pipping Saturday winner Kevin Hansen to secure a spot in the final for the fifth time in seven outings.
One thing is for sure – there was certainly no ‘difficult second album’ syndrome for Klara Andersson in 2023.
2023
Stats
World
RX Starts:
7
Wins:
0
Podiums:
0
Finals
Reached:
5
Best
Result: 4th
Points:
71
Championship
Position:
7th
Finland
Italy
Hungary