Honda, Olsbergs MSE Prepare for Season Finale in Los Angeles
• Olsbergs MSE’s Red Bull Honda Civics Return to Los Angeles
• Teammates Oliver Eriksson, Mitchell deJong and Sebastian Eriksson Ready to Battle for Honda’s Second Win in Red Bull Global Rallycross
• Honda is in Second Place in Season-Long Manufacturers’ Championship
Port of Los Angeles Circuit
• Lap Length: .654 miles
• Turns: 11
• Pavement: 73%
• Dirt: 27%
• Joker Lap: Shortcut before Turn 3; shortens circuit to .616 miles
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (October 12, 2017) – After a record motorsports season for Honda Racing, Olsbergs MSE will compete in the Red Bull Global Rallycross season finale at the Port of Los Angeles this weekend. The .654-mile layout will provide a technical challenge for Honda Red Bull OMSE drivers Oliver Eriksson, Mitchell deJong and Sebastian Eriksson and their 2017 Honda GRC Civic Coupes.
The 73 percent paved course features 11 turns in just .654 miles, the shortest layout of the 2017 season. Last year, the small circuit produced tough racing, pitting teams and drivers against each other in some of the series’ most intense races of the season.
“Our only focus this weekend is winning,” said Sebastian Eriksson. “We had a disappointing weekend in Seattle [last month], but that has only fueled us to work harder and fight for the win. I’m excited to get back on track Friday and get to work.”
Eriksson’s teammate, Mitchell deJong, currently leads the rookie championship standings and returns to the Port of L.A., site of his Red Bull GRC Supercar debut in the 2016 Honda Civic Coupe. The race in San Pedro is also his home race, as he resides in nearby Temecula, Calif.
“This race is important to me because it’s our last chance to show how competitive we are in the [Honda] Civics,” said the driver of the No. 24 Honda Red Bull OMSE Civic. “[Teammate] Oliver [Eriksson] and I have not only learned a lot about racing Supercars, but we’ve also learned new things about the car at every event. I hope this weekend is a culmination of the hard work and testing we’ve done this season.”
Oliver Eriksson, no relation to Sebastian, will make his first Supercar start at the Port of L.A., after competing in the GRC Lites category for the past two seasons. He hopes that his familiarity with the circuit, along with his recent top-five finishes, will provide good momentum heading into the final event.
“I feel comfortable at the track,” Oliver said. “It’s almost identical to the layout from last year, and I’ve been behind the wheel of the Civic long enough to say that I’m more than comfortable with the car. I think this weekend is all about maximizing our potential as a team, which we know has led to great success on track.”
Heading into Los Angeles, Honda remains second in the manufacturers’ championship, leading third-place Subaru by 37 points. Championship points are scored by each manufacturer’s highest-finishing driver. Honda has scored 16 top-five finishes and five podiums this season, including the manufacturer’s first Red Bull GRC win in Louisville in May.
The final weekend of the 2017 Red Bull GRC takes place October 13-14 in Los Angeles. Television coverage of Round 12 can be seen live on Saturday, October 14 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC.