Swede misses first 2017 World RX final but happy for champion Kristoffersson.
Heading into Latvia, it was only me and Johan who had been in every final this season. It was very disappointing to miss the final. It was a very hard battle between me and Bakkerud through turns one, two and three.
At the exit of two, most other drivers would’ve been harder to him but I want to race fair and left him space.
I didn’t try to push him into the wall or anything. I have been in that position where people want to put me in the wall so I left him room and he was on the inside for the next corner so there was nothing left to do.
It was a very physical fight and when I slotted in behind I got quite a big push from the guy behind me, which put me in the grass and I ended up coming out last. That’s not how you want to open the semi.
I continued and got another push exiting the joker lap in front that damaged my bodywork so the rear was overheating. On top of that I had some electrical issue in the engine so it really slowed me down from lap two onwards. I could not even catch the Ford guy at the end.
Standing on the side when the final is going on is not great because that time between the semi and the final is what I love the most in what I do. I get super pumped in that moment, but this time I didn’t get to be there.
To be more consistent was one of my biggest goals this season. I have taken much more clever decisions in all the battles on track. I have been aggressive when I needed to and I have backed off when I needed to.
In the end it is hard to draw any conclusions from this weekend. It was literally a new track each time we raced. It started off dry, then soaking wet, then a drying track in Q3 and Q4 then totally dry in the semi and final. At the end of the day it is the Volkswagens proving to be the fastest again. They are a long way ahead.
Incredibly impressive season by Johan and congratulations. It is not only a fellow Swede, but we are good friends and we talk very often back home too. We practice together. It is great to see that things we have done together can actually lead to him being world champion. I am very happy for him. He has been outstanding this year and I could not wish for anyone else other than our own team, of course, for victory.