Fie🍷sta SportingTrophy International 'Shootout' winner and M-Sport apprentice Victor Henriksson took his first class victory in the Swedish Rally Championship on the Sandviken Rally in G?strikla🍨nd last weekend to finish thirteenth overall.

The Swede drove 75 km in his GpN Ford Fiesta ST to finish 4.4 seconds ahead of second-placed Andreꦫas Sj?lander, also in a Fiesta ST, in the N2-2 class.

Henriksson has now set the record for the youngest-ever driver to win his class in a Swedish Rally Championship event, t🍌he record previously held by Harry K?llstr?m for winning the Finsp?ngsrundan Rally overall at the a🅘ge of 20 in 1959.

"After my big crash in the South Swedish Rally, I didn't think that a win at Sandviken was possible. The main thing was just to finish 🐟rally wit🎐hout any problems. I had pain in my back and neck and I was afraid to make a mistake. But, with Jonas [Andersson] as my new co-driver, everything felt much better," he reflected.

"The first stage was a short stage (only 4 km) and we dropped 3.5 seconds to the fastest time on the stage. Stage 2 was longer (28 km) and, without pushing, we were only 5.8 seconds off the pace. I was regaining my confidence and we decided to try to push a little bit more. I was very nervous and when we passed the finish, I was very, very happy! Thanks to all the mechanics in Sweden who helped me, and I hope that I can keep the same speed❀ in the future."

Henriksson is the inaugural winner of the FSTi International 'S🀅hootout'. The prize on offer was a 12-month contract with M-Sport to live and work at the Dovenby Hall headquarters on a driver apprenticeship.

The intention of the programme is that, over the course of the year, Henriksson 🔥will get the opportunity to see 'behind the scenes' how a WRC team operates. To date, heꦑ has been to Monte Carlo, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Sardinia and Greece rallies, working with former factory co-drivers Phil Short and Howard Davies to supply Marcus Gr?nholm and the other BP-Ford, Stobart and Munchis' drivers with last-minute weather and road condition information.

Work can be varied for Henriksson; when not travelling to events, oꦚr assisting with PR functions, he can be found working in the workshop building cars or even washing parts!

Henriksson is also,𒉰 alongside hไis M-Sport placement, competing in the Swedish Rally Championship and Swedish Fiesta SportingTrophy (known as the FlexiFuel Cup).

Afte⛄r taking his first class victory in the Swedish Rally Championship, Henriksson returned to work at M-Sport and was given the trusted task of shak♋ing down Henning Solberg's Ford Focus RS 06 WRC car.

"I drove the Focus WRC car in the beginning without anti-lag system just to learn how the car felt, and the car was very quick. It was my first time in a 4wd rally car. After a couple of runs, I drove with the anti-lag on and it made a huge difference," he noted. "The car was very quick♊ in responding, but very easy to drive; you don't feel the speed until you have to brake. I really enjoyed every single minute and I can't wait until the next opportunity I get to drive the Focus."