Swede Fredrik Salsten is doing a full nine rounds attempt on the 2014 FIA European Rallycross Championship (EuroRX) title in TouringCars, driving an all-new Citroën DS3.
Swedish Salsten Racing has announced that 25 years old Fredrik Salsten is set to compete in all nine events of the 2014 EuroRX series, starting at Montalegre in Portugal on May 3 and 4. The team from Kungsbacka, in close cooperation with Ingvar Gunnarsson Motorsport AB in Öxnevalla, is preparing an all-new Citroën DS3 for the TouringCar class. The chassis as well as other parts for the project were supplied to Salsten Racing by Hansen Motorsport.
Salsten’s Citroën DS3 TouringCar for EuroRX is in the making. © SR/ERC24
‘Salle’ is driving Rallycross since 2008, after starting with Folkrace events in 2005. In 2010 he scored his first success by claiming the bronze medal of the Swedish Junior Rallycross Championship, driving a Volvo 240 with a normally aspirated 2150cc engine. In 2013 he almost won the FIA North European Zone Rallycross Championship title of the ‘NEZ Open’ category, but while leading the by 3000cc cars dominated series with his rear-wheel driven Subaru Impreza GR with a 2400cc Volvo 8-valve engine he missed the victory of the final round, thereby making it to runner-up of reigning NEZ champion Ola Frøshaug from Norway. The Subaru has been advertised for sale after last year’s racing and Salsten is currently looking forward to get his new Citroën DS3 RWD ready as soon as possible.
Salsten’s in 2011 built SuperNational Subaru Impreza GR RWD (with 2.4 litre Volvo engine) is up for sale now. © SR/ERC24
The DS3 for his attempt on the 2014 ERX TouringCar title will be something different. Its engine was originally prepared by Alternative Engineering in Denmark, in Rallycross known for their cooperation with fellow-Dane Ulrik Linnemann and Czech Jaroslav Kalný. Instead of the in TouringCars usual solid rear-axle Salsten and Gunnarsson had other ideas and have chosen for an independent suspension system. Herewith they expect to lose out a little on the starts, but gain some time over the following laps. Fredrik Salsten’s expectations for his first European series are not really exaggerated; his goal is to finish the championship among the first five while his hope is to win at least one of the nine rounds.
In 2013 Salsten claimed the Swedish ‘Götalandscupen’ for ‘SuperNationell 2400’ drivers. © SR/ERC24
Top photo: Fredrik ‘Salle’ Salsten looks forward to the start of the 2014 EuroRX series. © SR/ERC24