Elias Adestam stepped forward when it was needed most and is now in the absolute title battle in the NXT Gen Cup after a victory and a second place in the penultimate competition of the season at Ring Knutstorp.

Adestam arrived at the races in Skåne 33 points behind leader Linus Granfors in the championship standings, pressed to perform to stay in the realistic title discussion; and did just that over two eventful days in mixed weather.

Adestam qualified second for the first of Friday’s two races, finished second in the first (two tenths behind Granfors), and then took home his fourth win of the season in Race 2 – a result that made the Nacka driver the event’s top points-scorer.

Adestam’s triumph in Race 2 came after a crowd-free run from seventh on the grid (an effect of the reverse starting order of the top eight from Race 1).

– It has been two eventful days here at Ring Knutstorp in changing weather, and it feels fantastic to be able to make my best result of the season under these rather tough circumstances, says Elias Adestam. The speed was there in both the dry and wet – I was second in the rain in Race 1 and won in the dry in Race 2. I was able to draw on things I learned earlier in my career and I think that’s what tipped the decision in my favor right here.

The effort at Ring Knutstorp means that Adestam now advances from third to second place in the NXT Gen Cup table, and has quickly halved the distance to Granfors, who continues to lead. Ahead of the decisive final at Mantorp Park in three weeks’ time, the duo are now separated by just 16 points, with 66 to go.

Down to third-placed Ellis Spiezia (USA) only eight more points separate.

– I’m in the game again seriously and it’s wide open for Mantorp, Elias Adestam concludes. Anything can happen there. Now it’s time to work on your preparations and get as ready as you can for the final. It is very even at the top here in the NXT Gen Cup and it will be tough, but of course I will do everything to make it swing in my direction.

The historic first edition of the NXT Gen Cup, the world’s first electrified racing championship for juniors, will be held at Mantorp Park on 22-23 September. In total, five drivers still have a mathematical chance of winning the title.

Results

NXT Gen Cup
Sub-competition 5 – Ring Knutstorp

Race 1 (download results)
1: Linus Granfors (SWE), 12 laps
2: Elias Adestam (SWE), +0.254s
3: Mikkel Njor (DEN), +7.072s
4: Ellis Spiezia (USA), +7.129p
5: Lukas Stiefelhagen (NED), +10.058s
Race 2 (download results)
1: Elias Adestam (SWE), 12 laps
2: Alex Kristiansson (SWE), +2.055s
3: Enzo Hallman (SWE), +2.137s
4: Jonathan Engström (SWE), +2.657s
5: Alex Gustafsson (SWE), +5.504s
Championship table

NXT Gen Cup
After 5/6 sub-competitions

1: Linus Granfors (SWE), 211 p.
2: Elias Adestam (SWE), 195 p.
3: Ellis Spiezia (USA), 187 p.
4: Enzo Hallman (SWE), 161 p.
5: Jonathan Engström (SWE), 150 p.

Complete table