Åhlin-Kottulinsky not giving up in push to join World RX grid

Åhlin-Kottulinsky was one of the guests of honour at a sports gala hosted by Värmlands Sponsorsällskap – a non-profit association consisting of nine companies that promote leading female athletes in Sweden’s Värmland region through targeted financial support – in her home city of Karlstad, during which she was presented with a cheque for SEK 30,000.

“I’m super grateful,” she acknowledged. “We all know that pursuing your dream within sports takes dedication and passion but also sacrifice and financial support. It’s amazing to see local companies in Värmland joining forces to promote female athletes and teams, and hopefully it will help to raise awareness and recognition for what we are doing. I’m excited to see the next steps and future of this initiative.”

Budget, Åhlin-Kottulinsky admits, is the primary factor currently holding her back from stepping up to the FIA World Rallycross Championship, after excelling during her maiden full campaign in the dual-surface discipline in the FIA RX2e Championship last year.

Going up against rivals with much more relevant experience than her, the 31-year-old was a podium-finisher in the opening round and went on to fight for the title against countrymen Nils Andersson and Isak Sjökvist, ultimately winding up a close third. Competing for Kristoffersson Motorsport (KMS) ‘junior’ outfit Team E, her stellar performances prompted Tommy Kristoffersson to opine that she is ‘absolutely ready’ to move up to the top-tier.

“What Tommy said at the end of last year meant a lot, to know that he really believes in me – that’s a great support as I continue to search for partners for a programme in either World RX or RX2e with the team this season,” Åhlin-Kottulinsky added.

“As everyone knows, motorsport is tough and it’s expensive to put a programme together, but it’s important to never give up and to always keep working hard to try to find a solution. If there’s something I’ve learned during my career, it’s that things can change literally overnight in this sport!

“It’s no secret that ultimately I want to get to World RX and win in World RX, and while I’m under no illusions that stepping up would be a big challenge as there are a lot of great drivers in the championship, it’s something I believe I’m ready for. Honestly, it would be a dream for me to get a full-time drive in the series, so hopefully I can make it happen sooner rather than later.”