This year's starting field in Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia contains a large number of new and new-old drivers. One of them is Ola Nilsson, a seasoned Scanian who, after a four-year break, is making a comeback in the championship. The vast majority believe in Nilsson as a top driver, but many also wonder if he becomes a bird, fish or in-between on the leash of drivers who are tipped to compete in advance for the top places in the table? Ahead of the premiere in Anderstorp 13-14 May, Nilsson himself has two answers to that question.

Ola Nilsson is back in Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia. Together with Thomas Karlsson and Lars-Bertil Rantzow, he will compete for the Mtech Competition in a venture that is backed by Bilia, Porsche Center Malmö and Porsche Center Helsingborg.

The last time Ola Nilsson participated in the championship was in 2018 when he made a guest appearance at Ring Knutstorp, qualified for pole position in both races and took the finish flag as first and second.

Since then, the 34-year-old, who works as a sales manager at Porsche Center Malmö, has not made a single race meter in a race car. During the spring tests, he has therefore, quite rightly, felt a little rat-rusty.

"I didn't expect the momentum to be back to one hundred percent right away. I've felt pretty green initially and really got to take it step by step. As always when you have made a longer break, you miss, among other things, details in the driving and that safe feeling you have when you have driven a lot. It's felt better every day of testing, but I'm going to need more time in the car to get into it, erase mistakes and increase precision," says Nilsson, who is still quite happy with what he has achieved so far.

On the roll-out at Mantorp Park, the Scanian was booked for the fifth best time overall, just 0.364 seconds from Pontus Fredricsson's fastest lap.

"Three tenths is nothing in a way, but at the same time the last tenths are always the hardest. I think it has gone as expected and I feel confident that I will find more time later. The more I drive, the better it feels. Our latest test in Anderstorp was a good confirmation of that.

Aiming high
Back then to the question: Will Ola Nilsson become a bird, fish or in between in the top tier of the championship?
"In terms of the whole season, it's bird, but if in the premiere in Anderstorp it may be in between," he says, adding:
"I'm excited and know that the potential and opportunity to be at the top is in this venture. We're aiming high and working on it.

Eleven new drivers
Compared to last year, this year's starting field in Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia includes twelve new drivers. Three come from Porsche's own ranks; Porsche Sprint Challenge Scandinavia. From last year's success class in Swedish racing, the champion Marcus Annervi and Gustav Bergström and Markus Lönnroth have chosen to take the step to the Porsche Carrera Cup.
While Annervi and Bergström have chosen to bet on the new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992), Lönnroth drives the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991 II). Both models are part of the Carrera Cup, but the 991 II drivers also compete for their own trophy in the Porsche Approved Cup.

Quintet from STCC
Among the newcomers are also five drivers from STCC. Robin Knutsson and Mikael Karlsson in WestCoast Racing, Andreas Ahlberg and Albin Wärnelöv in Micke Kågered Racing and Steber Racing's Hannes Morin. The WCR duo runs 992, the other 991 II.
During the championship's performance at Mantorp Park 28-29 April, it was Morin who impressed the most in the aforementioned quintet. With the ninth best time overall, he was the fastest of all Porsche Approved drivers. Closest behind him in the class was Patrick Rundquist and fast veteran Lars-Bertil Rantzow.

This year's newcomers also include Mattias Kjellin and Nermin Sipkar and Franck Århage. The latter is making a comeback after standing over a couple of seasons. The starting field additionally includes a quartet of drivers who began the Porsche Carrera Cup career with a few starts in 2021. Oscar Löfquist and Tommy Karlsson drove three races, Erlend Juan Olsen two and Kjelle Lejonkrans one.

New drivers in Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia 2022
#15 Hannes Morin, Steber Racing (991 II)
#17 Gustav Bergström, Kristoffersson Motorsport (992)
#20 Ola Nilsson, Mtech Competition (992)
#22 Albin Wärnelöv, Micke Kågered Racing (991 II)
#32 Robin Knutsson, WestCoast Racing (992)
#36 Andreas Ahlberg, Micke Kågered Racing (991 II)
#48 Mikael Karlsson, WestCoast Racing (992)
#60 Franck Århage, Arhage Motorsport (991 II)
#61 Marcus Annervi, Race Team Gelleråsen – by AFR (992)
#66 Nermin Sipkar, Sipkar Motorsport (991 II)
#71 Markus Lönnroth, Steber Racing (991 II)
#85 Mattias Kjellin, Kjellin Motorsports (992)