Marcus Ericsson

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Marcus Ericsson
Nationality Flag of Sweden Swedish
Date of Birth September 2, 1990 (1990-09-02) (age 17)
Place of Birth Kumla (Sweden)
2008 British Formula Three Championship
Debut season 2008
Current team Fortec Motorsport
Car No. 8
Starts 10
Wins 0
Poles 1
Fastest laps 1
Previous series
2007 Formula BMW UK
Championship titles
2007 Formula BMW UK
Awards
2007 Swedish Junior Racer of the Year

Marcus Ericsson (born September 2, 1990 in Kumla) is a Swedish race car driver currently currently driving for Fortec Motorsport in British Formula Three. He is the 2007 Formula BMW UK Champion.

Contents

[edit] Early and Personal life

Marcus Ericsson was born in the Autumn of 1990 in Kumla in the heart of Southern Sweden to Tomas and Kerstin Ericsson. Marcus also has two brothers: Pontus and Hampus Ericsson.

[edit] Career

[edit] 2001-2006: Karting

Ericsson's first taste of motorsport came when he was nine years old racing in karts, "I got a call from Fredrik Ekblom, whom I ran in British F3000 and Indy Lights. He now [2007] runs a kart circuit and he told me about a nine-year old kid who'd walked in off the street and nearly broke the lap record." recalled Richard Dutton, head of Fortec Motorsport.[1] Ekblom managed to convince Ericsson's father, Tomas, to buy his son a kart and the young Swede stayed in karting for the next four years, "I'd never really thought about racing as a career. My family didn't have the money for me to race formula cars so we never thought about it" Ericsson recalled.[1]

It was in 2006 that Ericsson's career got notable backing in the form of former Champ Car driver and 1999 Indianapolis 500 winner Kenny Bräck. "I spotted Marcus at a race in Gothenburg" Bräck says, "He didn't win the race because his engine blew up with two laps to go but he was clearly the best out there. He didn't get caught in any battles when passing - he'd just wait for the right opportunity, then he pounced and he was away. He has such patience but when he does go for it, it measures so perfectly. He reminded me of watching Alain Prost" Bräck added.[1]

Ericsson won his second Formula BMW race at Brands Hatch by six seconds.
Ericsson won his second Formula BMW race at Brands Hatch by six seconds.

[edit] 2007: Formula BMW

See also: Formula BMW

Bräck had managed to convince Richard Dutton, who ran the Swede in British F3 in 1989, to race Ericsson for his Fortec Motorsport team's 2007 Formula BMW UK title challenge. Ericsson was realistic of his chances during the season, "I was thinking that I should be around top eight to start with, trying for podiums and maybe wins by the end of the year".[1] However, Ericsson's first win came earlier then expected at the first meeting of the series at Brands Hatch where he took third place in the first race and won from pole position in the second race. Following his win, Ericsson was hailed as "the best young talent" Bräck had ever seen.[2] The Swede was in the title race for the whole season, challenging Czech Josef Kral and Brit Henry Arundel. In the end, the sixteen–year–old won the title by 40 points from Kral, becoming the final Champion of the British Formula BMW series prior to the series merge with the German series to make a European FBMW championship.

[edit] 2008: Formula Three

See also: Formula Three

Following his win of the Formula BMW title, Ericsson began aiming for a seat in Formula Three. Tests soon followed with British Formula Three team Räikkönen Robertson Racing as part of his prize for winning the title that year. Soon afterwards the Swede had a test with frontrunning Formula Three Euroseries team ASM Formule 3, now ART Grand Prix. Despite an offer to join the French team, Ericsson opted to stay in England and Dutton and join Fortec's British Formula Three team.

[edit] Complete Motor racing results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Yr Series Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Pos. Points
2007 Formula BMW UK Fortec Motorsport Brds
3		 Brds
1		 Rock
4		 Rock
3		 Thrx
2		 Thrx
5		 Crft
2		 Crft
2		 Oult
Ret		 Oult
1		 Dont
2		 Dont
5		 Snet
1		 Snet
13		 Brds
1		 Brds
1		 Knok
1		 Knok
1		 1st 676
2008 British Formula Three Fortec Motorsport Oult
6		 Oult
2		 Crft
5		 Crft
Ret		 Monz
7		 Monz
7		 Rock
2		 Rock
10		 Snet
6		 Snet
8		 Thrx Thrx Brds Brds Spa Spa Silv Silv Buch Buch Dont Dont 6th* 64*

*Season in progress

[edit] Racing record

Season Series Team Name No. Races Poles Wins Pts Final Placing
2007 Formula BMW UK Fortec Motorsport 2 18 11 7 676 1st
2008 British Formula Three Fortec Motorsport 10 8 1 0 64 6th*

*Season in progress


Portal Sweden portal

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Interview with Marcus Ericsson. Autosport Magazine, Vol. 188, No. 4, pp. 59, Haymarket Publications. April 26, 2007.
  2. ^ National News > Rookie Hailed 'Best Ever'. Autosport Magazine, Vol. 188, No. 1, pp. 90, Haymarket Publications. April 5, 2007.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Niall Breen		 Formula BMW UK Champion
2007		 Succeeded by
championship discontinued
Languages