Mattias Ekström Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Mattias Ekström
Ekström in January 2025
Nationality	Swedish
Born	(1978-07-14) 14 July 1978 (age 47) Falun, Sweden

Current team	M-Sport Ford
Dakar Rally
Years active	2021–present
Co-driver	Emil Bergkvist
Former teams	Audi Sport, Yamaha, Abt Cupra
Starts	5
Wins	0
Podiums	1
Best finish	3rd in 2025


FIA World Rallycross Championship career
Debut season	2014
Car no.	5
Former teams	KYB Team JC
Starts	60
Championships	1 (2016)
Wins	12
Podiums	27
Finished last season	2nd


DTM
Years active	2001–2018
Former teams	Abt Sportsline
Starts	217
Championships	2 (2004, 2007)
Wins	25
Podiums	83
Poles	20
Fastest laps	17


FIA ERX Supercar Championship
Years active	2013–2014
Former teams	Marklund Motorsport
Starts	3
Wins	1
Podiums	2
Best finish	10th in 2014


STCC
Years active	1997–2000
Former teams	Volvo S40 Racing Team Sweden Kristoffersson Motorsport Troberg – Rydell Junior Team
Starts	55
Championships	1 (1999)
Wins	11
Podiums	30
Poles	6
Fastest laps	9
Previous series
2013 2010 1995–1996	V8 Supercars NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Renault 5 Junior Sweden
Championship titles
2021 2016 2004, 2007 1999 1996	Pure ETCR World Rallycross DTM STCC Renault 5 Junior Sweden

Mattias Ekström, born on July 14, 1978, is a famous racing and rally driver from Sweden. He has competed in many different types of races. He drove for Audi in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) from 2001 to 2018. Since 2014, he has also been a top driver in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Mattias is a World Rallycross Champion, a two-time DTM champion, and has won the Race of Champions four times.

Mattias Ekström's Racing Journey
Images for kids
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Mattias Ekström's Racing Journey

Mattias started his racing career in karting in 1993. The next few years, he raced in the Renault 5 Turbo Cup, winning the championship in 1996. He then moved to the Swedish Touring Car Championship in 1997, finishing second in a Volvo 850. In 1998, he drove a Ford Mondeo and earned four podium finishes. Mattias won the 1999 championship driving an Audi A4 quattro. In 2000, he finished third with a factory Volvo S40.

Joining DTM and Early Success

In 2001, Mattias joined the Abt Junior team to compete in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM). He drove an Audi TT and finished 8th in his first season. He improved to third place in 2002 and fourth in 2003.

In 2004, Mattias won his first DTM championship. He beat strong rivals like Gary Paffett and Christijan Albers from Mercedes. In the 2005 DTM season, he finished second, right behind Paffett.

Rallying and Champion of Champions

Mattias has also been active in rallying and the World Rally Championship. He first raced in the WRC in 1999. His best result was finishing tenth at the 2005 Swedish Rally in a Škoda Fabia WRC.

Ekström won his second DTM championship in 2007.

At the 2005 Race of Champions, Mattias won the Nations' Cup with fellow driver Tom Kristensen. In 2006, he won the Henri Toivonen Memorial Trophy. He also earned the title Champion of Champions at the 2006 Race of Champions by beating Sébastien Loeb in the final race.

After a tough 2006 season, Mattias won his second DTM title in 2007. He then went on to win the 2007 Race of Champions, beating Michael Schumacher in the individual finals. In 2009, he won the Race of Champions again, once more defeating the seven-time world champion in the final.

NASCAR and Versatility

Ekström's No. 83 car at Sonoma Raceway in 2010.

Mattias became the first Scandinavian driver to race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in June 2010. He drove for Team Red Bull at Infineon Raceway. He finished 21st and even led 7 laps during the race. He also competed in another NASCAR race in Richmond, finishing 31st.

Mattias is known as one of the most versatile drivers in the world. He also took part in the Bathurst 1000 race in Australia in 2013. He finished 10th, and commentators praised his amazing debut performance.

Rallycross Adventures

Ekström in his Audi S1 at the 2016 World RX of Sweden.

Following in his father Bengt's footsteps, Mattias started racing in rallycross in 2013. He competed in the Swedish round of the European Rallycross Championship and finished second. He then created his own team, EKS RX, to compete in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. His team debuted in 2014 with Audi S1 cars.

In January 2018, Mattias announced he was leaving DTM to focus on his rallycross team. His team received more support from Audi Sport. However, Audi later stopped its factory program, which made things difficult for EKS RX.

Mattias returned to the World Rallycross Championship in 2020 as a wildcard driver for the JC Race Teknik team. He replaced another driver who had funding issues. Mattias had a great season, winning two races and getting five podiums out of six events. This made him a strong contender for the championship.

Electric Racing and Dakar Rally

Mattias Ekström in Cupra e-Racer at FIA ETCR 2022.

In 2021, Mattias tried the Dakar Rally for the first time with a Yamaha car. Even though he faced technical problems, he gained valuable experience for future Dakar races.

He also joined the world of electric touring cars, racing for Cupra in the first season of Pure ETCR (now FIA ETCR). He won a race in Spain and finished on the podium in all other races. This helped him win the drivers' title and Cupra win the teams' title. He also competed in the Extreme E electric off-road championship. Later that year, he became a factory driver for Audi's Dakar project, joining legends Carlos Sainz and Stéphane Peterhansel.

Mattias Ekström at the start of Dakar 2024.

Mattias and his co-driver Emil Bergkvist raced in the 2022 Dakar Rally with the Audi RS Q e-tron car. They won one stage and finished 9th overall. In 2023, he returned to Dakar with Audi, finishing 14th. After Dakar, he joined the Acciona Sainz Extreme E team and helped them finish 3rd in the 2023 Extreme E season.

The 2024 Dakar Rally was Mattias's last race with Audi. He had a promising start, but a technical issue forced him out of the top spots. He then helped his teammate Carlos Sainz, who went on to win the rally. Mattias also joined the McLaren Extreme E team, but that championship was later cancelled.

Ekström's Ford Raptor T1+ before Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2025.

On October 1, 2024, Mattias announced he was joining the M-Sport Ford team for their Dakar program. The 2025 Dakar Rally, where he drove the new Ford Raptor T1+, was his most successful Dakar yet. He climbed into the top 3 early on, won one stage, and finished the rally in 3rd place overall.

Images for kids

Ekström in January 2025
Ekström won his second DTM championship in 2007.
Ekström's No. 83 car at Sonoma Raceway in 2010.
Ekström competing at the opening round of the 2009 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season at Hockenheim.
Ekström competing in the 2014 DTM season.
Ekström in his Audi S1 at the 2016 World RX of Sweden.
Mattias Ekström in Cupra e-Racer at FIA ETCR 2022.
Mattias Ekström at the start of Dakar 2024.
Ekström's Ford Raptor T1+ before Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2025.