Aquila Formula 1000 Offered Thrilling Racing as the Season Kicked Off at Mantorp Park

Aquila Formula 1000, the Nordic region’s premier entry-level series in formula car racing, held its season premiere during the Spring Race at Mantorp Park this weekend. The three races offered plenty of action, as Andreas Skatteboe and Linus Stjernelund took an early lead in the Championship

 

Aquila Formula 1000, which is also the official Junior-RM, ran its first race weekend of a total of seven during the Spring Race with nearly 20 drivers on the starting line.

Aquila veteran Andreas Skatteboe got the season off to a perfect start, winning all three races during the premiere weekend. He leads both the Senior Championship and the overall championship after his performance at Mantorp Park.

“Easily the best race I’ve run in my career. Mantorp is a really fun track to drive, and in the two previous races I have driven there I have shown that I have the speed to fight for the victory. However, I did not think that I would be able to pull away as much as I did in the race. I barely put a wheel wrong in all three. I will never forget this weekend,” says Andreas Skatteboe.

Rookie Linus Stjernelund also had a fantastic start to his first season in Aquila Formula 1000, after driving the electric NXT Gen Cup in 2024. Stjernelund started the weekend by being fastest in qualifying, and thus took Pole Position. In the races he took home three total podiums, of which two were second places. Linus now leads both the Junior and Rookie Championships.

“It was a fantastic weekend with a lot of learning. We have had a lot of fun, and I feel really satisfied to already match what I managed to do last year . Three podiums and a pole. In my opinion, I optimised the races based on my speed, and I am very happy with it. A tough and exciting weekend, and leading the Junior Championship after the first weekend is about as good as it could have been,” says Linus Stjernelund.

As usual, the Aquila Formula 1000 offered entertaining racing, with many and even fighters through the field in the three races held at Mantorp Park. Albin Gustafsson and Gustav Berglund, both rookies in the series, each took a third place finish, just a few tenths behind Linus Stjernelund. While Leonél Skaar took a really strong second place in the first race of the weekend.

In the Junior Championship, it is Oscar Mellstig and Leonél Skaar who are the closest to overshadowing Stjernelund after the premiere, where only one point separates Leonél in second place down to Oscar in third.

Oscar Mellstig made a solid effort in the Spring Race, and was third in qualifying. Mellstig couldn’t convert that to a podium finish in the races at Mantorp, but he did manage two fourth places and so was in 3rd place in the junior standings after the opening weekend.

Young Swedish-American talent Deven Grabko drove home a strong 12th place in his debut in Aquila Formula 1000.

In the Senior Championship, Andreas Skatteboe tops the standings after his triple victory, 42 points ahead of Kalle Svensson with Celina Hessman in third place.

Replays of the live broadcasts from the race at Mantorp Park can be watched via Aquila Formula 1000 on Youtube.

The next race weekend in Aquila Formula 1000 will be held at the Mittsverigebanan outside Härnösand on May 16-18.

Links:
Results
Championship standings

Press photos from the races. Photo: Bengt-Åce Gustavsson – racefoto.se