Rickard Rydell


Rickard Rydell is a retired 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. Initially he trained to be an accountant at AB Rydell, his family's flower boutique business, but was bitten by the racing bug. 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

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 due to several slow starts he won only 4 times and he finished on podium 7 times. At the end of the year he was third in the championship, a result repeated in 1996 although Audi dominated with Frank Biela he was able to score 4 victories and 6 podium. In 1997 Volvo switch from 850 saloon to new model Volvo S40, at the end of year he was fourth with 1 victory and 5 podium. In 1998, he finally won the BTCC title in a Volvo with 5 victories and 12 podium, beating Anthony Reid at the final meeting. He also won the 1998 Super Touring Bathurst 1000, sharing a Volvo S40 with Jim Richards.
In 1999 he was again third behind the two Nissan Primera with 4 victories and 7 podium.
After five years with Volvo, he was loaned to Ford for 2000 where he will finish for the fourth time in seven years third behind his two team mate Alain Menu and Anthony Reid.

ETCC

He spent 2001 largely waiting for his ETCC Volvo S60 to be built, but he raced a Ferrari 550 Maranello in the FIA GT Championship for the Prodrive team. In 2002 he raced in the ETCC finishing 5th with 8 podium while in 2003, without official Volvo's support, he finished just 11th with only 2 podiums.
He moved to SEAT's SEAT Sport team in 2004 for the ETCC driving Seat Toledo Cupra ending 10th with 1 victory and 1 podium. In 2004 he also took part in two races in the Swedish Touring Car Championship, claiming one victory.

WTCC

2005 season

and Rydell continued in the World Touring Car Championship when it replaced the ETCC for 2005. He finished sixth in the championship, winning race two at Silverstone and 4 podium.

2006 season

He continued with SEAT for 2006, finishing seventh, with just 4 podium.

2007 season

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 Chevrolet team and a local hero guest driver. He won the second race of the day, ahead of team-mates Nicola Larini and Alain Menu ignoring the team order to don't attack their team mate in particular Larini who was fighting for the title championship and losing the opportunity to continue with RML until the end of the season.
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 Chevrolet. 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 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.
The two pieces of evidence that Volkswagen Team Biogas.se brought in:
Photo and Video, both illustrated on
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.
In a 2005 poll run by Motorsport Magazine, Rydell was voted 18th greatest touring car driver of all time.
Rydell announced his retirement from motorsport in early 2016.

Racing record

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Complete Japanese Formula 3000 results

YearEntrant1234567891011DCPoints
1992Team CerumoSUZ
16		FUJ
6		MIN
Ret		SUZAUTSUGFUJFUJSUZFUJSUZ18th1

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526PosPts
1994Volvo 850 RacingVolvo 850 SE/GLTTHR
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		14th27
1995Volvo 850 RacingVolvo 850 20vDON
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		3rd255
1996Volvo 850 RacingVolvo 850 20vDON
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		3rd194
1997Volvo S40 RacingVolvo S40DON
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		4th137
1998Volvo S40 RacingVolvo S40THR
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		1st254
1999Volvo S40 RacingVolvo S40DON
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*		3rd192
2000Ford Team MondeoFord MondeoBRH
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		3rd178

Complete Swedish Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920DCPoints
2001Flash EngineeringVolvo S40FAL
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		15th20
2004SEAT SportSEAT ToledoKNU
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		15th26

Complete European Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920DCPts
2002Volvo S60 Racing TeamVolvo S60MAG
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		5th56
2003ART EngineeringVolvo S60VAL
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		11th18
2004SEAT SportSEAT Toledo CupraMNZ
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		10th29

Complete World Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718192021222324DCPoints
2005SEAT SportSEAT Toledo CupraITA
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		6th57
2005SEAT SportSEAT LeónESP
1
Ret		ESP
2
11		MAC
1
3		MAC
2
7		6th57
2006SEAT SportSEAT LeónITA
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		7th54
2007Chevrolet RMLChevrolet LacettiBRA
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		16th13
2007SEAT SportSEAT LeónMAC
1
11		MAC
2
6		16th13
2008SEAT SportSEAT León TDIBRA
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		5th77
2009SEAT SportSEAT León TDIBRA
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		7th64
2012Chevrolet Motorsport SwedenChevrolet Cruze 1.6TITA
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		19th14
2013NIKA RacingChevrolet Cruze 1.6TITA
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		NC0
2015Nika InternationalHonda Civic WTCCARG
1
10		ARG
2
9		MAR
1		MAR
2		HUN
1		HUN
2		GER
1		GER
2		RUS
1
13		RUS
2
11		SVK
1		SVK
2		FRA
1
11		FRA
2
10		POR
1		POR
2		JPN
1		JPN
2		CHN
1		CHN
2		THA
1		THA
2		QAT
1		QAT
2		21st4

Complete Scandinavian Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718DCPoints
2011Chevrolet Motorsport SwedenChevrolet CruzeJYL
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		1st229
2012Chevrolet Motorsport SwedenChevrolet CruzeMAN
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		2nd258

Complete V8 Supercar results