# Mattias Ekström

Bengt Mattias Ekström (born 14 July 1978) is a racing and rally driver from Sweden. He competed in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters for Audi from 2001 until his retirement in 2018, and has been competing in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, also for Audi, since its inception in 2014. He is a FIA World Rallycross Champion, a two-time DTM champion and a four-time winner of the Race of Champions.

## Career

Ekström debuted in karting in 1993. The next years he competed at the Renault 5 Turbo Cup, winning the championship in 1996. The driver progressed to the Swedish Touring Car Championship in 1997, finishing runner-up with a Volvo 850. In 1998 he drove a Ford Mondeo, claiming four podiums. Ekström won the 1999 championship driving an Audi A4 quattro. He switched rides again in 2000, finishing third with a factory Volvo S40.
In 2001, Ekström joined the Abt Junior team to compete at the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. Driving Audi TT, he finished 8th in his debut season, third in 2002, and fourth in 2003.
In 2004, Ekström won the 2004 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, defeating Mercedes rivals Gary Paffett and Christijan Albers. In the 2005 DTM season he finished second behind Paffett.
Ekström has also been active in rallying and the World Rally Championship. He debuted in the WRC in 1999 and recorded his best result at the 2005 Swedish Rally, finishing tenth in a Škoda factory team Fabia WRC. At the 2005 Race of Champions, Ekström won the Nations' Cup with Tom Kristensen. In 2006, he won the Henri Toivonen Memorial Trophy and earned the title Champion of Champions at the 2006 Race of Champions, by winning over Sébastien Loeb in the individual event finals.
After a poor 2006 season, Ekström won his second DTM title in 2007 and went on to win the 2007 Race of Champions, beating Michael Schumacher in the individual finals. In 2009, he won the Race of Champions once more beating the seven-time world champion in the final.
Ekström became the first Scandinavian driver to take part in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in June 2010. He raced for Team Red Bull at Infineon Raceway, substituting for Brian Vickers in the No. 83 Toyota Camry, as Vickers was inactive for the remainder of the 2010 season due to blood clots. Ekström was able to finish 21st and lead 7 laps mostly remaining in the top 5 or top 10 the whole day. However he did so ex-aequo with another Scandinavian driver as Jan Magnussen from Denmark also took part in the same race, eventually finishing ahead of Ekström. Ekström also ran the Air Guard 400 at Richmond International Raceway where he started 42nd and finished 31st.
Ekström followed in the footsteps of his father Bengt by branching out into rallycross in 2013, competing in the Swedish round of the European Rallycross Championship in Höljes, finishing second in a Volkswagen Polo. He subsequently announced that he was establishing his own EKS RX team to compete in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. The team made their debut at the Norwegian round of the 2014 World Rallycross Championship season in Hell, fielding a pair of Audi S1s for Ekström and 2013 Junior World Rally Champion Pontus Tidemand.
Ekström is widely regarded as one of the most versatile drivers in the world. He also participated in the Bathurst 1000 in 2013 alongside Andy Priaulx in a 'wildcard' entry. The entry qualified 19th and finished 10th, with former 1000 winner turned commentator Mark Skaife hailing his efforts, stating that he was "one of the best debutants I have seen", as well as being "the best international driver since Jacky Ickx". Ickx won the race on debut with Allan Moffat in 1977.
In January 2018, Ekström announced that he would be retiring from DTM, to concentrate on running his rallycross team, now with added support from Audi Sport. However, at the end of the season Audi decided to withdraw its works programme, leaving Ekström's team in limbo, with some of the team's Audi S1 were sold to the privateers. Eventually the team stayed as one-car privateer after signing Krisztián Szabó from Hungary, with Ekström does a wildcard entry at the inaugural World Rallycross event in Spa Francochamps.
Ekström returns to World Rallycross Championship in 2020 season, initially as a wildcard for the first two rounds in Sweden for the JC Race Teknik team, which coincidentally, running two EKS RX's Audi S1. He replaced Latvian Jānis Baumanis who was unable to do the full season with the team due to funding issues caused by COVID-19 pandemic. Ekström ended up signed with the team for another two double-header rounds in Finland and Latvia, which he got two wins and five podiums out of six events so far, making him the championship contender along with fellow Swede Johan Kristoffersson.

## Racing record
### Complete Swedish Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | DC | Pts |
| 1997 | Troberg – Rydell Junior Team | Volvo 850 GLT | MAN 1 1 | MAN 2 1 | KIN 1 Ret | KIN 2 4 | AND 1 1 | AND 2 4 | FAL 1 2 | FAL 2 Ret | KNU 1 Ret | KNU 2 2 | KAR 1 6 | KAR 2 1 | | | | | 2nd | 192 |
| 1998 | Troberg – Rydell Junior Team | Ford Mondeo Ghia | MAN 1 Ret | MAN 2 8 | KAR 1 3 | KAR 2 Ret | AND 1 2 | AND 2 3 | FAL 1 Ret | FAL 2 Ret | KNU 1 4 | KNU 2 2 | MAN 1 Ret | MAN 2 DNS | | | | | 8th | 97 |
| 1999 | Kristoffersson Motorsport | Audi A4 Quattro | MAN 1 3 | MAN 2 1 | KNU 1 1 | KNU 2 2 | KAR 1 2 | KAR 2 1 | AND 1 23 | AND 2 17 | FAL 1 3 | FAL 2 6 | AND 1 3 | AND 2 8 | ARC 1 6 | ARC 2 7 | MAN 1 1 | MAN 2 2 | 1st | 215 |
| 2000 | Volvo S40 Racing Team Sweden | Volvo S40 | KAR 1 2 | KAR 2 3 | KNU 1 10 | KNU 2 9 | MAN 1 3 | MAN 2 2 | FAL 1 1 | FAL 2 2 | AND 1 4 | AND 2 6 | ARC 1 1 | ARC 2 1 | KAR 1 4 | KAR 2 5 | MAN 1 3 | MAN 2 2 | 3rd | 165 |

### Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
| 1999 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 Quattro | SAC 1 | SAC 2 | ZWE 1 | ZWE 2 | OSC 1 | OSC 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | MIS 1 | MIS 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | SAL 1 | SAL 2 | OSC 1 8 | OSC 2 4 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | 23rd | 47 |

### Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
| 2001 | Abt Sportsline Junior | Abt-Audi TT-R | HOC QR 17 | HOC CR DNS | NÜR QR 10 | NÜR CR 9 | OSC QR 6 | OSC CR 7 | SAC QR 2 | SAC CR 5 | NOR QR 11 | NOR CR 9 | LAU QR Ret | LAU CR 3 | NÜR QR 6 | NÜR CR 14 | A1R QR Ret | A1R CR 11 | ZAN QR 2 | ZAN CR Ret | HOC QR 6 | HOC CR 6 | 8th | 38 |
| 2002 | Abt Sportsline | Abt-Audi TT-R | HOC QR 3 | HOC CR 2 | ZOL QR 4 | ZOL CR 4 | DON QR 9 | DON CR 3 | SAC QR 14 | SAC CR 7 | NOR QR 1 | NOR CR 3 | LAU QR 4 | LAU CR 2 | NÜR QR 16 | NÜR CR 10 | A1R QR 1 | A1R CR 11 | ZAN QR 3 | ZAN CR 1 | HOC QR 3 | HOC CR 2 | 3rd | 50 |
| 2003 | Abt Sportsline | Abt-Audi TT-R | HOC 8 | ADR 2 | NÜR 7 | LAU 3 | NOR Ret | DON 3 | NÜR 4 | A1R 5 | ZAN 3 | HOC 2 | | | | | | | | | | | 4th | 46 |
| 2004 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2004 | HOC 3 | EST 2 | ADR 1 | LAU 1 | NOR 4 | SHA$^1$ 3 | NÜR 2 | OSC 5 | ZAN 1 | BRN 1 | HOC 6 | | | | | | | | | | 1st | 74 |
| 2005 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2005 | HOC 5 | LAU 4 | SPA 2 | BRN 1 | OSC 2 | NOR 3 | NÜR 1 | ZAN 2 | LAU 1 | IST 12 | HOC 7 | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 71 |
| 2006 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2006 | HOC Ret | LAU DSQ | OSC 7 | BRH 1 | NOR 6 | NÜR 8 | ZAN 13 | CAT 4 | BUG Ret | HOC 12† | | | | | | | | | | | 8th | 21 |
| 2007 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2007 | HOC 1 | OSC 7 | LAU 10 | BRH 3 | NOR 3 | MUG 2 | ZAN 3 | NÜR 3 | CAT Ret | HOC 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 1st | 50 |
| 2008 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2008 | HOC 1 | OSC 8 | MUG 6 | LAU 3 | NOR 4 | ZAN 1 | NÜR 6 | BRH 3 | CAT DSQ | BUG 1 | HOC 7 | | | | | | | | | | 3rd | 56 |
| 2009 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2009 | HOC 7 | LAU 3 | NOR 3 | ZAN 3 | OSC 2 | NÜR 3 | BRH 5 | CAT 6 | DIJ 9 | HOC Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 41 |
| 2010 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2009 | HOC 6 | VAL 1 | LAU Ret | NOR 2 | NÜR 7 | ZAN 4 | BRH Ret | OSC 3 | HOC Ret | ADR 8 | SHA 9 | | | | | | | | | | 5th | 35 |
| 2011 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2009 | HOC 2 | ZAN 8 | SPL Ret | LAU 11 | NOR 7 | NÜR 1 | BRH 2 | OSC 1 | VAL 1 | HOC 6 | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 52 |
| 2012 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A5 DTM | HOC 3 | LAU 5 | BRH 5 | SPL 4 | NOR Ret | NÜR 11 | ZAN 3 | OSC 8 | VAL 3 | HOC Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 6th | 81 |
| 2013 | Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | HOC Ret | BRH 7 | SPL 5 | LAU 8 | NOR DSQ | MSC 2 | NÜR 13 | OSC 7 | ZAN 4 | HOC 4 | | | | | | | | | | | 7th | 68 |
| 2014 | Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | HOC 2 | OSC 13 | HUN 9 | NOR 3 | MSC 3 | SPL 7 | NÜR Ret | LAU Ret | ZAN 1 | HOC 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 2nd | 106 |
| 2015 | Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | HOC 1 12 | HOC 2 1 | LAU 1 3 | LAU 2 2 | NOR 1 17 | NOR 2 4 | ZAN 1 13 | ZAN 2 7 | SPL 1 5 | SPL 2 1 | MSC 1 Ret | MSC 2 3 | OSC 1 14 | OSC 2 11 | NÜR 1 10 | NÜR 2 11 | HOC 1 9 | HOC 2 2 | | | 3rd | 147 |
| 2016 | Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | HOC 1 9 | HOC 2 Ret | SPL 1 16 | SPL 2 2 | LAU 1 6 | LAU 2 2 | NOR 1 Ret | NOR 2 Ret | ZAN 1 7 | ZAN 2 7 | MSC 1 5 | MSC 2 9 | NÜR 1 DSQ | NÜR 2 4 | HUN 1 18 | HUN 2 1 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | | | 7th | 107 |
| 2017 | Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | HOC 1 5 | HOC 2 11 | LAU 1 8 | LAU 2 2 | HUN 1 5 | HUN 2 2 | NOR 1 3 | NOR 2 4 | MSC 1 8 | MSC 2 2 | ZAN 1 17† | ZAN 2 3 | NÜR 1 15 | NÜR 2 6 | SPL 1 1 | SPL 2 5 | HOC 1 11 | HOC 2 8 | | | 2nd | 176 |
| 2018 | Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline | Audi RS5 DTM | HOC 1 17 | HOC 2 16 | LAU 1 | LAU 2 | HUN 1 | HUN 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | ZAN 1 | ZAN 2 | BRH 1 | BRH 2 | MIS 1 | MIS 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | SPL 1 | SPL 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NC‡ | 0‡ |
$^1$ Shanghai was a non-championship round. $^†$ Retired, but was classified as he completed 75% of the winner's race distance. $^‡$ As Ekström was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

### NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

#### Sprint Cup Series

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series results :
| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | NSCC | Pts | Ref |
| 2010 | Team Red Bull | 83 | Toyota | DAY | CAL | LVS | ATL | BRI | MAR | PHO | TEX | TAL | RCH | DAR | DOV | CLT | POC | MCH | SON 21 | NHA | DAY | CHI | IND | POC | GLN | MCH | BRI | ATL | RCH 31 | NHA | DOV | KAN | CAL | CLT | MAR | TAL | TEX | PHO | HOM | 58th | 175 | |

### Complete V8 Supercar results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | Final pos | Points |
| 2013 | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden VF Commodore | ADE R1 | ADE R2 | SYM R3 | SYM R4 | SYM R5 | PUK R6 | PUK R7 | PUK R8 | PUK R9 | BAR R10 | BAR R11 | BAR R12 | COTA R13 | COTA R14 | COTA R15 | COTA R16 | HID R17 | HID R18 | HID R19 | TOW R20 | TOW R21 | QLD R22 | QLD R23 | QLD R24 | WIN R25 | WIN R26 | WIN R27 | SAN R28 | BAT R29 10 | SUR R30 | SUR R31 | PHI R32 | PHI R33 | PHI R34 | SYD R35 | SYD R36 | 55th | 156 |

### Complete WRC results

(key)
| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Points |
| 1999 | Mattias Ekström | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV | MON | SWE 30 | KEN | POR | ESP | FRA | ARG | GRE | NZL | FIN | CHN | ITA | AUS | GBR | | | NC | 0 |
| 2000 | Mattias Ekström | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV | MON | SWE 21 | KEN | POR | ESP | ARG | GRE | NZL | FIN | CYP | FRA | ITA | AUS | GBR | | | NC | 0 |
| 2003 | Mattias Ekström | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII | MON | SWE 23 | TUR | NZL | ARG | GRE | CYP | GER | FIN | AUS | ITA | FRA | ESP | GBR | | | NC | 0 |
| 2004 | Mattias Ekström | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII | MON | SWE 12 | MEX | NZL | CYP | GRE | TUR | ARG | FIN | GER 24 | JPN | GBR | ITA | FRA | ESP | AUS | NC | 0 |
| 2005 | Škoda Motorsport | Škoda Fabia WRC | MON | SWE 10 | MEX | NZL | ITA | CYP | TUR | GRE | ARG | FIN | GER | GBR | JPN | FRA | ESP | AUS | NC | 0 |
| 2006 | Škoda Motorsport | Škoda Fabia WRC | MON | SWE Ret | MEX | ESP | FRA | ARG | ITA | GRE | GER 11 | FIN | JPN | CYP | TUR | AUS | NZL | GBR | NC | 0 |
| 2021 | Mattias Ekström | Škoda Fabia R5 Evo | MON | ARC 19 | CRO | POR | ITA | KEN | EST | BEL | GRE | FIN | ESP | MNZ | | | | | NC | 0 |

### Complete Global RallyCross Championship results

(key)

#### Supercar

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | GRC | Points |
| 2013 | Marklund Motorsport | Volkswagen Polo | BRA | MUN1 5 | MUN2 4 | LOU | BRI | LAN | ATL | CHA | LVS | 15th | 26 |

### Complete FIA European Rallycross Championship results

(key)

#### Supercar

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ERX | Points |
| 2013 | Marklund Motorsport | Volkswagen Polo | GBR | POR | HUN | FIN | NOR | SWE 2 | FRA | AUT | GER | 17th | 23 |
| 2014 | EKS RX | Audi S1 | GBR | NOR 11 | BEL | GER 1 | ITA | | | | | 10th | 22 |

### Complete FIA World Rallycross Championship results

(key)

#### Supercar/RX1

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | WRX | Points |
| 2014 | EKS RX | Audi S1 | POR | GBR | NOR 19 | FIN | SWE 1 | BEL | CAN | FRA | GER 2 | ITA | TUR | ARG | | 11th | 55 |
| 2015 | EKS RX | Audi S1 | POR 7 | HOC | BEL 6 | GBR 2 | GER 15 | SWE 1 | CAN 6 | NOR 12 | FRA 5 | BAR 7 | TUR 4 | ITA | ARG 2 | 6th | 201 |
| 2016 | EKS RX | Audi S1 | POR 7 | HOC 1 | BEL 1 | GBR 1 | NOR 3 | SWE 6 | CAN 8 | FRA 8 | BAR 1 | LAT 2 | GER 5 | ARG 5 | | 1st | 272 |
| 2017 | EKS RX | Audi S1 | BAR 1 | POR 1 | HOC 1 | BEL 4 | GBR 5 | NOR 4 | SWE | CAN 7 | FRA 3 | LAT 2 | GER 1 | RSA 3 | | 2nd | 255 |
| 2018 | EKS Audi Sport | Audi S1 | BAR 6 | POR 7 | BEL 4 | GBR 4 | NOR 2 | SWE 6 | CAN 4 | FRA 4 | LAT 2 | USA 6 | GER 2 | RSA 2 | | 2nd | 248 |
| 2019 | EKS Audi Sport | Audi S1 | UAE | ESP | BEL 11 | GBR | NOR | SWE | CAN | FRA | LAT | RSA | | | | 22nd | 8 |
| 2020 | Sweden KYB Team JC | Audi S1 | SWE 2 | SWE 1 | FIN 7 | FIN 2 | LAT 2 | LAT 1 | ESP 5 | ESP 4 | | | | | | 2nd | 192 |
| 2021 | ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport | SEAT Ibiza | BAR | SWE | FRA | LAT 7 | LAT 4 | BEL | PRT | GER | GER | | | | | 10th | 37 |

### Dakar Rally results

| Year | Class | Vehicle | Position | Stages won |
| 2021 | Light Prototype | Yamaha | DNF | 0 |
| 2022 | Car | Audi | 9th | 1 |
| 2023 | Car | Audi | 14th | 1 |
| 2024 | Car | Audi | 26th | 2 |
| 2025 | Car | Ford | 3rd | 1 |

### Bathurst 1000 results

| Year | Team | Car | Co-driver | Position | Lap |
| 2013 | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore VF | Andy Priaulx | 10th | 161 |

### Complete Extreme E results

(key)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Pos. | Points |
| 2021 | Abt Cupra XE | Spark ODYSSEY 21 | DES Q 8 | DES R 7 | OCE Q 3 | OCE R 5 | ARC Q 2 | ARC R 7 | ISL Q 3 | ISL R 2 | JUR Q 4 | JUR R 7 | 6th | 87 |
| 2023 | Acciona | Sainz XE Team | Spark ODYSSEY 21 | DES 1 2 | DES 2 1 | HYD 1 6 | HYD 2 4 | ISL1 1 2 | ISL1 2 2 | ISL2 1 1 | ISL2 2 9 | COP 1 2 | COP 2 4 | 2nd | 144 |
| 2024 | Neom McLaren Extreme E Team | Spark ODYSSEY 21 | DES 1 2 | DES 2 5 | HYD 1 8 | HYD 2 5 | ISL1 1 | ISL1 2 | ISL2 1 | ISL2 2 | VAL 1 | VAL 2 | 5th* | 46* |
$^*$ Season still in progress.