Rickard Rydell

Rickard Rydell

Nationality Sweden Swedish
Born 22 September 1967
Vallentuna (Sweden)
World Touring Car Championship career
Debut season 2005
Current team NIKA Racing
Car no. 69
Former teams SEAT Sport
Chevrolet
Starts 96
Wins 5
Poles 3
Fastest laps 5
Best finish 5th in 2008
Previous series
2011–12
2004
2003
2002–04
2001, 2004
2001
1994–2000
1992
1990, 1992
1990
1990, 1992–93
1989
1988–89, 1991
1987–88
1987		 STCC
TC2000
V8 Supercars
ETCC
STCC (Sweden)
FIA GT Championship
BTCC
Japanese Formula 3000
British Formula 3000
All Japan Sports Prototype
All-Japan F3 Championship
International Formula 3000
British F3 Championship
Swedish F3 Championship
European F3 Cup
Championship titles
1998
2011		 BTCC
STCC

Rickard Rydell (born 22 September 1967) is a Swedish racing driver. He won the 1998 British Touring Car Championship, the 2011 Scandinavian Touring Car Championship, and has also been a frontrunner in the European/World Touring Car Championship.

Early career

Rydell was born in Vallentuna, Stockholm. In the early 1990s, he raced in various Formula Three series. He also won pole position in the 1991 Macau Grand Prix, and won the 1992 race. He competed in Japanese F3 in 1992 and 1993, British F3 in 1989 and 1991, and the Swedish F3 series in 1987 and 1988. In 1990, he raced in F3000. In 1984–1985, he won the Swedish 100cc go kart championship.

Touring cars

BTCC

Rydell driving for Volvo in the 1996 British Touring Car Championship.

His first year in the BTCC was 1994, when his car was quite distinctive, driving a Volvo 850 Estate, when it was normal to race saloons. The TWR team switched to a saloon in 1995 and Rydell took pole for 13 of the 24 races, but several slow starts contributed to him winning only 4 times and finishing 3rd in the championship, a result repeated in 1996, 1999 and 2000. After five years with Volvo, he was loaned to Ford (Prodrive) for 2000.

In 1998, he won the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) in a Volvo, beating Anthony Reid at the final meeting. He also won the 1998 Super Touring Bathurst 1000, sharing a Volvo S40 with Jim Richards.

He spent 2001 largely waiting for his European Touring Car Championship Volvo to be built, but he raced a Ferrari 550 Maranello in the FIA GT Championship for the Prodrive team. In 2002 and 2003, he raced in the ETCC with works support for 2002 but as a privateer a year later.

He joined SEAT's SEAT Sport team in 2004 for the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC). In 2004 he also took part in two races in the Swedish Touring Car Championship, claiming one victory.

WTCC

2005 Season

SEAT and Rydell continued in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) when it replaced the ETCC for 2005. He finished fifth in the championship, winning race two at Silverstone.

2006 Season

He continued with SEAT for 2006, finishing seventh, without a win.

2007

Rydell won the GT1 class of the 2007 Le Mans 24 Hours, sharing an Aston Martin DBR9 with David Brabham and Darren Turner.

Rydell lost his SEAT drive for 2007, and instead drove an Aston Martin DBR9 with the Prodrive team in the GT Championship having previously worked with the team when using Ferrari's in 2004.

Rydell raced in the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans with David Brabham and Darren Turner and they won in the GT1 class.

On the WTCC weekend in Anderstorp, Sweden, Rydell returned to the category as a fourth driver for the Cheverolet team and a local hero guest driver. He won the second race of the day, ahead of team-mates Nicola Larini and Alain Menu.

Prior to the last event of the 2007 WTCC calendar in Macau, Rydell was chosen by the SEAT Sport team to race for them as an additional driver to help the team take home at least one of the main championships, either the Driver's championship via SEAT's Yvan Muller winning, or the Manufacturer's championship. The weekend though did not set off as planned, due to Rickard starting 14th on the race 1 grid and Yvan Muller started 2nd behind the eventual winner of the first race Alain Menu in the RML run Cheverolet. Rickard finished 11th in the first race with Yvan Muller leading 8 of the 9 laps of the race, but due to a fuel pressure problem Muller's race weekend ended on the 8th lap even before he was able to get to the pits. During the second race Rickard had a much better race than the first as he finished in 6th, but unfortunately his efforts were not enough to help SEAT clinch the Manufacturer's crowns, as the championship went to the reigning Manufacturer's champions BMW.

2008 Season

Rydell driving the SEAT Léon at Brands Hatch.

Rydell was re-signed by SEAT as one of their drivers in their five strong driver line up for an assault on the 2008 WTCC season. Rickard finished fifth in the final standings, winning once at Estoril and once at Okayama.

2009 Season

Rickard raced for SEAT yet again in 2009, winning at Puebla and finishing seventh overall in the final standings.

2011 Season

Rickard Rydell returns to racing after a year as a commentator of the STCC for Swedish TV. He was signed to Chevrolet Motorsport Sweden team with the Cruze joining as team with his teammate Viktor Hallrup a developmental driver for the team in his second season with the team, with first season being with the Lacetti. Rickard came in as a booster driver for Cheverolet Sweden to gain results for the team as their developmental driver was still not up to speed with the top runners. Rickard won the title* at the last race of the season at Mantorp by just 2 points to Frederik Ekblom.[1]

The two pieces of evidence that Volkswagen Team Biogas.se brought in: Photo and Video,[3] both illustrated on touringcartimes.com

This is Rydell Second National Touring car title after the BTCC championship in 1998, although he won the Bathurst 1000 that year also which was his last touring car title before his return to form in 2011.

Next year he will be defending his STCC title however, Frederik Ekblom will not be contesting in the STCC as he has signed with Volvo Polestar in the silhouette touring car championship run by the TTA which is based on a Volvo C30 chassis and many teams and successful Swedish drivers, i.e. Jan "Flash" Nilsson and Richard Göransson , who were STCC BMW drivers in the 2011 season.

2013 season

Rydell joined NIKA Racing for the 2013 FIA WTCC Race of China to drive their Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T.[4]

Racing record

Complete International Formula 3000 results

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

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 DC Points
1989 Eddie Jordan Racing Reynard 89D Mugen Honda SIL VAL PAU JER PER BRH BIR SPA BUG DIJ
Ret		 NC 0

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1990 Australia Team Schuppan
Australia Omron Racing		 United States Hurley Haywood
South Africa Wayne Taylor		 Porsche 962C C1 332 12th 12th
2002 United Kingdom Prodrive Switzerland Alain Menu
Czech Republic Tomáš Enge		 Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello GTS 167 DNF DNF
2004 United Kingdom Prodrive Racing United Kingdom Darren Turner
United Kingdom Colin McRae		 Ferrari 550-GTS Maranello GTS 329 9th 3rd
2007 United Kingdom Aston Martin Racing Australia David Brabham
United Kingdom Darren Turner		 Aston Martin DBR9 GT1 343 5th 1st

Complete Japanese Formula 3000 results

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

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points
1992 Team Cerumo SUZ
16		 FUJ
6		 MIN
Ret		 SUZ AUT SUG FUJ FUJ SUZ FUJ SUZ 18th 1

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position – 1 point awarded 1996 onwards in all races) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) (* signifies that driver lead feature race for at least one lap – 1 point given)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Pos Pts
1994 Volvo 850 Racing Volvo 850 SE/GLT THR
1
15		 BRH
1
22		 BRH
2
15		 SNE
1
Ret		 SIL
1
19		 SIL
2
13		 OUL
1
5		 DON
1
11		 DON
2
Ret		 BRH
1
10		 BRH
2
8		 SIL
1
8		 KNO
1
8		 KNO
2
10		 OUL
1
Ret		 BRH
1
15		 BRH
2
8		 SIL
1
10		 SIL
2
12		 DON
1
10		 DON
2
12		 14th 27
1995 Volvo 850 Racing Volvo 850 20v DON
1
4		 DON
2
1		 BRH
1
13		 BRH
2
3		 THR
1
9		 THR
2
4		 SIL
1
1		 SIL
2
2		 OUL
1
1		 OUL
2
2		 BRH
1
7		 BRH
2
DNS		 DON
1
2		 DON
2
6		 SIL
1
17		 KNO
1
1		 KNO
2
2		 BRH
1
2		 BRH
2
3		 SNE
1
14		 SNE
2
Ret		 OUL
1
5		 OUL
2
10		 SIL
1
7		 SIL
2
Ret		 3rd 255
1996 Volvo 850 Racing Volvo 850 20v DON
1
Ret		 DON
2
3		 BRH
1
4		 BRH
2
3		 THR
1
3		 THR
2
8		 SIL
1
4		 SIL
2
5		 OUL
1
4		 OUL
2
1		 SNE
1
Ret		 SNE
2
5		 BRH
1
3		 BRH
2
12		 SIL
1
2		 SIL
2
4		 KNO
1
4		 KNO
2
1		 OUL
1
5		 OUL
2
Ret		 THR
1
3		 THR
2
1		 DON
1
1		 DON
2
Ret		 BRH
1
5		 BRH
2
Ret		 3rd 194
1997 Volvo S40 Racing Volvo S40 DON
1
Ret		 DON
2
2		 SIL
1
2		 SIL
2
2		 THR
1
5		 THR
2
5		 BRH
1
7		 BRH
2
16		 OUL
1
6		 OUL
2
3		 DON
1
5		 DON
2
7		 CRO
1
3		 CRO
2
9		 KNO
1
4		 KNO
2
7		 SNE
1
5		 SNE
2
5		 THR
1
Ret		 THR
2
7		 BRH
1
15		 BRH
2
1		 SIL
1
18		 SIL
2
7		 4th 137
1998 Volvo S40 Racing Volvo S40 THR
1
1		 THR
2
2*		 SIL
1
5		 SIL
2
Ret		 DON
1
3		 DON
2
7*		 BRH
1
1		 BRH
2
1*		 OUL
1
2		 OUL
2
2		 DON
1
2		 DON
2
Ret		 CRO
1
4		 CRO
2
1*		 SNE
1
5		 SNE
2
2*		 THR
1
3		 THR
2
3		 KNO
1
Ret		 KNO
2
3		 BRH
1
3		 BRH
2
1*		 OUL
1
11		 OUL
2
4		 SIL
1
2		 SIL
2
3		 1st 254
1999 Volvo S40 Racing Volvo S40 DON
1
7		 DON
2
Ret		 SIL
1
3		 SIL
2
Ret		 THR
1
2		 THR
2
2*		 BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
Ret		 OUL
1
7		 OUL
2
Ret		 DON
1
Ret		 DON
2
4		 CRO
1
4		 CRO
2
1*		 SNE
1
2		 SNE
2
8		 THR
1
2		 THR
2
Ret*		 KNO
1
6		 KNO
2
5		 BRH
1
1		 BRH
2
5*		 OUL
1
3		 OUL
2
3		 SIL
1
1		 SIL
2
1*		 3rd 192
2000 Ford Team Mondeo Ford Mondeo BRH
1
3		 BRH
2
4*		 DON
1
2		 DON
2
3*		 THR
1
4		 THR
2
Ret		 KNO
1
1		 KNO
2
2		 OUL
1
Ret		 OUL
2
Ret		 SIL
1
8		 SIL
2
DSQ		 CRO
1
1		 CRO
2
1*		 SNE
1
3		 SNE
2
5		 DON
1
Ret		 DON
2
6		 BRH
1
3		 BRH
2
2		 OUL
1
Ret		 OUL
2
8		 SIL
1
2		 SIL
2
DNS		 3rd 178

Complete Swedish Touring Car Championship results

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

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Points
2001 Flash Engineering Volvo S40 FAL
1		 FAL
2		 MAN
1		 MAN
2		 KAR
1		 KAR
2		 JYL
1		 JYL
2		 FAL
1		 FAL
2		 KNU
1		 KNU
2		 MOI
1		 MOI
2		 KAR
1		 KAR
2		 KNU
1		 KNU
2		 MAN
1
16		 MAN
2
3		 15th 20
2004 SEAT Sport SEAT Toledo KNU
1		 KNU
2		 FAL
1		 FAL
2		 KAR
1		 KAR
2		 MAN
1
5		 MAN
2
1		 KNU
1		 KNU
2		 KNU
1		 KNU
2		 ARC
1		 ARC
2		 KAR
1		 KAR
2		 MAN
1		 MAN
2		 15th 26

Complete European Touring Car Championship results

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

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 DC Pts
2002 Volvo S60 Racing Team Volvo S60 MAG
1
4		 MAG
2
4		 SIL
1
4		 SIL
2
3		 BRN
1
Ret		 BRN
2
6		 JAR
1
10		 JAR
2
14†		 AND
1
3		 AND
2
2		 OSC
1
3		 OSC
2
3		 SPA
1
4		 SPA
2
2		 PER
1
10		 PER
2
11		 DON
1
2		 DON
2
Ret		 EST
1
2		 EST
2
4		 5th 56
2003 ART Engineering Volvo S60 VAL
1
18†		 VAL
2
10		 MAG
1
Ret		 MAG
2
Ret		 PER
1
14		 PER
2
Ret		 BRN
1
Ret		 BRN
2
9		 DON
1
5		 DON
2
3		 SPA
1
11		 SPA
2
Ret		 AND
1
7		 AND
2
3		 OSC
1
12		 OSC
2
13		 EST
1
Ret		 EST
2
DNS		 MNZ
1		 MNZ
2		 11th 18
2004 SEAT Sport SEAT Toledo Cupra MNZ
1
10		 MNZ
2
10		 VAL
1
Ret		 VAL
2
Ret		 MAG
1
Ret		 MAG
2
DNS		 HOC
1
8		 HOC
2
5		 BRN
1
2		 BRN
2
12		 DON
1
22		 DON
2
19		 SPA
1
Ret		 SPA
2
11		 IMO
1
11		 IMO
2
5		 OSC
1
7		 OSC
2
1		 DUB
1
15		 DUB
2
DNS		 10th 29

Complete World Touring Car Championship results

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

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 DC Points
2005 SEAT Sport SEAT Toledo Cupra ITA
1
8		 ITA
2
Ret		 FRA
1
3		 FRA
2
11		 GBR
1
7		 GBR
2
1		 SMR
1
9		 SMR
2
4		 MEX
1
3		 MEX
2
6		 BEL
1
11		 BEL
2
Ret		 GER
1
2		 GER
2
7		 TUR
1
5		 TUR
2
7		 6th 57
SEAT León ESP
1
Ret		 ESP
2
11		 MAC
1
3		 MAC
2
7
2006 SEAT Sport SEAT León ITA
1
6		 ITA
2
22		 FRA
1
3		 FRA
2
Ret		 GBR
1
5		 GBR
2
2		 GER
1
3		 GER
2
5		 BRA
1
6		 BRA
2
Ret		 MEX
1
8		 MEX
2
3		 CZE
1
Ret		 CZE
2
DNS		 TUR
1
2		 TUR
2
4		 ESP
1
23		 ESP
2
20		 MAC
1
16		 MAC
2
14		 7th 54
2007 Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Lacetti BRA
1		 BRA
2		 NED
1		 NED
2		 ESP
1		 ESP
2		 FRA
1		 FRA
2		 CZE
1		 CZE
2		 POR
1		 POR
2		 SWE
1
9		 SWE
2
1		 GER
1		 GER
2		 GBR
1		 GBR
2		 ITA
1		 ITA
2		 16th 13
SEAT Sport SEAT León MAC
1
11		 MAC
2
6
2008 SEAT Sport SEAT León TDI BRA
1
2		 BRA
2
7		 MEX
1
2		 MEX
2
2		 ESP
1
10		 ESP
2
7		 FRA
1
6		 FRA
2
3		 CZE
1
10		 CZE
2
17		 POR
1
1		 POR
2
8		 GBR
1
11		 GBR
2
9		 GER
1
6		 GER
2
20		 EUR
1
2		 EUR
2
6		 ITA
1
16		 ITA
2
19		 JPN
1
1		 JPN
2
9		 MAC
1
Ret		 MAC
2
4		 5th 77
2009 SEAT Sport SEAT León TDI BRA
1
3		 BRA
2
2		 MEX
1
1		 MEX
2
3		 MAR
1
Ret		 MAR
2
DNS		 FRA
1
13		 FRA
2
Ret		 ESP
1
13		 ESP
2
14		 CZE
1
4		 CZE
2
6		 POR
1
7		 POR
2
3		 GBR
1
5		 GBR
2
4		 GER
1
3		 GER
2
11		 ITA
1
NC		 ITA
2
7		 JPN
1
25		 JPN
2
8		 MAC
1
11		 MAC
2
10		 7th 64
2012 Chevrolet Motorsport Sweden Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T ITA
1
4		 ITA
2
10		 ESP
1		 ESP
2		 MAR
1		 MAR
2		 SVK
1		 SVK
2		 HUN
1		 HUN
2		 AUT
1		 AUT
2		 POR
1		 POR
2		 BRA
1		 BRA
2		 USA
1		 USA
2		 JPN
1		 JPN
2		 CHN
1		 CHN
2		 MAC
1		 MAC
2		 19th 14
2013 NIKA Racing Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T ITA
1 		ITA
2 		MAR
1		 MAR
2		 SVK
1		 SVK
2		 HUN
1		 HUN
2		 AUT
1		 AUT
2		 RUS
1		 RUS
2		 POR
1		 POR
2		 ARG
1		 ARG
2		 USA
1		 USA
2		 JPN
1		 JPN
2		 CHN
1
14		 CHN
2
29†		 MAC
1		 MAC
2		 NC 0
2015 Nika International Honda Civic WTCC ARG
1
10		 ARG
2
9		 MAR
1
 MAR
2
 HUN
1
 HUN
2
 GER
1
 GER
2
 RUS
1
 RUS
2
 SVK
1
 SVK
2
 FRA
1
 FRA
2
 POR
1
 POR
2
 JPN
1
 JPN
2
 CHN
1
 CHN
2
 THA
1
 THA
2
 QAT
1
 QAT
2
 14th* 3*

* Season in progress.

Complete Scandinavian Touring Car Championship results

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

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 DC Points
2011 Chevrolet Motorsport Sweden Chevrolet Cruze JYL
1
4		 JYL
2
5		 KNU
1
3		 KNU
2
Ret		 MAN
1
2		 MAN
2
4		 GÖT
1
1		 GÖT
2
5		 FAL
1
3		 FAL
2
5		 KAR
1
5		 KAR
2
4		 JYL
1
Ret		 JYL
2
5		 KNU
1
1		 KNU
2
6		 MAN
1
1		 MAN
2
4		 1st 229
2012 Chevrolet Motorsport Sweden Chevrolet Cruze MAN
1
2		 MAN
2
2		 KNU
1
1		 KNU
2
2		 STU
1
5		 STU
2
3		 MAN
1
2		 MAN
2
3		 ÖST
1
3		 ÖST
2
4		 JYL
1
2		 JYL
2
4		 KNU
1
3		 KNU
2
1		 SOL
1
4		 SOL
2
4		 2nd 258

Complete V8 Supercar results

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final Pos Points
2003 Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford BA Falcon ADL PHI ECK WIN PTH HDV QLD ORP SAN
7		 BAT
7		 SUR PUK ECK 39th 168

References

  1. ↑ http://www.touringcartimes.com/stcc.php
  2. ↑ http://www.touringcartimes.com/article.php?id=6940
  3. ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxgzLyEaqyA
  4. ↑ "Rickard Rydell to make WTCC return in Shanghai". Mediaempire Stockholm AB. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 7 October 2013.

External links

Media related to Rickard Rydell at Wikimedia Commons

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Alain Menu		 Autosport
National Racing Driver of the Year
1998 		Succeeded by
Laurent Aïello
Sporting positions
Preceded by
David Coulthard		 Macau Grand Prix
Winner
1992 		Succeeded by
Jörg Müller
Preceded by
Alain Menu		 British Touring Car Champion
1998 		Succeeded by
Laurent Aïello
Preceded by
David Brabham
Geoff Brabham		 Winner of the Bathurst 1000
1998
(with Jim Richards) 		Succeeded by
Steven Richards
Greg Murphy
Preceded by
Robert Dahlgren
(Scandinavian Touring Car Cup)		 Scandinavian Touring Car Championship
Champion
2011 		Succeeded by
Johan Kristoffersson