Three questions to Patrik Flodin

Petter Solberg Engineering’s talented Swede finished second on the Intercontinental Rally Challenge’s maiden visit to Romania last month in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000. The 27-year-old spoke about ice driving and flying planes.

What got you interested in rallying?

“From the beginning I was the youngest boy in my small village and I was looking up to the big guys driving the cars on the ice and the frozen lakes. I wanted to be with them so I started to drive. Then I realised I was quite good at it and when I was 13 I had my first Volvo 240.”

How did you progress from driving on frozen lakes?

“I started in a very cheap class. The cars cost 3000 euros and I just had to buy fuel and tyres although we were not using new tyres because we didn’t have the money. After a couple of years we start to get some sponsors so I could move into a Group N car. Then it started to go really well.”

What keeps you busy when you are not competing?

“I work when I can or if somebody needs help but I don’t have a proper job so I am always poor. But if I didn’t do rallying I would like to be a pilot. I’m quite interested about planes and I could also go at high speed.”