Racing driver Richard Göransson will face the challenge of his professional life this winter. He will take on the world’s best rally drivers on their own territory – in the top class!

After last years success where Richard Göransson finished second overall in the PWRC class in Rally Sweden he is now ready for an even greater challenge, to compete in the WRC-class. A challenge he hasn’t fully understood himself yet.
”This is the greatest challenge in my career and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous”, Richard says. ”It is after all just over a year ago that I drove my very first rally and now I will compete in WRC.”

Richard will be driving a MINI John Cooper Works WRC in Rally Sweden, a car entered by the british factory team Prodrive. Richard says a big reason for his WRC-drive in Rally Sweden is to become an even better racing driver.
”I’ve been on top in racing for several years and for me it’s important to continue develop as a driver and doing rallying is a way of achieving this. I learn how to improvise, to face different conditions in a much better way and quicker make the right decisions when behind the wheel. Rally is still something completely new for me and WRC is the biggest thing you can do as a rally driver, it’s the Formula 1 of rally,” Richard explains.

Richard will continue his cooperation with Fredrik Eljas and Eljas Motorsport with whom he worked together in Rally Sweden last year. Fredrik Eljas will be involved as an advisor to Richard and responsible for events. He will also handle the test and competion programme Richard is planning in order to prepare for Rally Sweden.
”Last winter Richard shoved us he has an extraordinary speed in a rally car despite few preparations before hand,” Fredrik says. ”The cooperation with Richard developed us as a team as well and this will be the first time Eljas Motorsport is involved in a WRC-programme in Rally Sweden.”

Rally Sweden is held between February 9th and February 12th and Fredrik Eljas has a clear goal.
”First of all we will make sure we have fun and enjoy the moment. Last year we set a the target of finishing top 5 in PWRC, a goal we surpassed with great margin with a second place. If we could get into the points this time around, meaning finishing tenth overall or better, it would be an extraordinary effort,” Fredrik Eljas concludes.

Experienced and succesful world championship rally team Prodrive develops and builds the MINI WRC factory cars. They look forward to the challenge of guiding Richard Göransson against the worlds best rally drivers in WRC.
” Prodrive are delighted to be working with a driver of Richard’s talent”, Richard Taylor of Prodrive says. ”Although he is more used to dry tarmac Richard does have previous snow rally experience and  we know that the MINI WRC car is very easy to drive and are sure he will have no trouble adapting to it. Our aim is to help Richard to achieve his best ever finish in Rally Sweden.”