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How well do you know your team-mate? EKS

The 2016 FIA World Rallycross Championship features seven permanent teams, each with two drivers. Those drivers work hard together as team mates in their respective teams with the goal of becoming World Rallycross Champions. That means sharing information about driving, tracks, data and setups.

EKS currently leads the World RX Teams' Championship standings thanks to points scored by Mattias Ekstrom and Topi Heikkinen, but outside of the car, how well do they know each other? Find out below with a series of quick-fire questions.

Mattias - When did Topi make his rallycross debut?

ME: "I think it must have been in 2009, with a Saab."

TH: "It was 2010, with the Saab at a Finnish Championship race at Hämeenlinna."

Topi - When did Mattias do his first rallycross event?

TH: "2011 in Holjes."

ME: "Wrong, it was in Munich."

TH: "Oi Oi Oi!"

Topi - When did Mattias win his two DTM titles?

TH: "2004, that's right. Let me think. 2004 is right. Was it 2002?"

ME: "Ooo, no it was 2007."

Mattias - Which year did Topi win the Finnish Rallycross Championship?

ME: "He's never won it, right?" Or maybe he did. That must have been the year after he started, that means 2011?"

TH: "No, 2010."

Mattias - What was Topi's first road car?

ME: "For sure a Volvo."

TH: "No, a Ford Focus. That was my car when I was 18."

Topi - And what was Mattias' first car on the road?

TH: "An Opel Ascona?"

ME: "A VW Caddy pickup."

Mattias - If Topi could have any Audi from the whole Audi range, what would he have?

ME: "Probably he would have an RS6."

TH: "No, an RS7."

ME: "Ah yes, he has no kids, sorry. I forgot that."

Topi - If Mattias doesn't already have it, what would his dream Audi road car be?

TH: "Q7!"

ME: "Partly right, an SQ7."

Mattias - Does Topi have any brothers or sisters?

ME: "Yeah, he has a sister. She's younger."

TH: "So the question is how many?"

ME: "One isn't it?"

TH: "I have two sisters and one brother. A twin sister, a younger brother and my little sister is 12."

Topi - And does Mattias have any siblings?

TH: "Yes, one sister."

Correct

Mattias - Where was Topi brought up?

ME: "That's where he lives, but the name is so hard. He has told me."

TH: "I can help you, I'm not living in that city anymore. It was in the East of Finland; Joensuu."

Topi - And where did Mattias grow up?

TH: "It's so hard to say the name. EKS is there, he was born there and errr..." (The city Topi has in mind is Fagersta, where our workshop is located.)

ME: "He's not right, it's 150 kilometres away from there, in Falun."

Mattias - On a race weekend, what is Topi's favourite food?

ME: "Any food from Jonas (EKS chef). But, any special food? The problem is that he rarely eats! I think he doesn't have any special wish."

Correct

Topi - And does Mattias like anything special to eat on race days?

TH: "Rice and chicken!"

ME: "Yep!"

TH: "Without any cream or anything, so it's super dry!"

Mattias - If Topi could watch anything on television, what would it be?

ME: "I have no idea what he would watch."

TH: "Right now, I would put on the Formula One qualifying."

Topi - And what would Mattias watch?

TH: "He's looking at all kinds of motorsport stuff. MotoGP, DTM, NASCAR ..."

ME: "But no Formula One!"

Mattias - What does Topi do to relax between events?

ME: "I think he walks the dog and cuts the grass."

TH: "That's right. You know, the relaxing thing in my life just before I leave is to just to cut the grass, leave the home and walk the dogs."

Topi - And what does Mattias do on his few days off?

TH: "He spends his time at home because his family want him there as long as possible."

ME: "That's 100% right!"

Mattias - Which is Topi's favourite track in World RX?

ME: "Belgium!"

TH: "No it's not! Holjes is my favourite one, but somehow I have been winning a lot in Belgium."

Topi - And for Mattias, where is his favourite track?

TH: "I think it's Holjes also."

Correct

Mattias - You've both had a go at rallying, which car did Topi do a rally in for the first time?

ME: "An S2000 Ford."

Correct

Topi - And what car did Mattias use on his first rally?

TH: "It was with the Skoda? Oh, no first rally. It was your dad's Opel Ascona?"

ME: "It was actually a Ford Sierra Cosworth, 4x4."

TH: "Quite close."

Mattias - What was Topi's best result in World RX last year?

ME: "Belgium, he won."

And the second best result?

ME: "Maybe Turkey?"

TH: "No, I was second in Canada."

Topi - And what were Mattias' top two results in 2015?

TH: "He won in Holjes, but I can't remember how many times he won last year. It's not easy. Maybe in Barcelona?"

ME: "No, at Lydden Hill, I was second. I just had one win."

Thanks guys!

Zdroj: fiaworldrallycross.com