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Mattias Ekstrom announces World RX title bid alongside DTM duties

DTM star Mattias Ekstrom has declared he'll also "drive enough races to become World Rallycross champion" this year, in announcing a dual 2015 programme

With his own outfit, EKS RX, Ekstrom contested three World RX events in 2014, winning on home soil in Sweden and finishing second in Germany.

This year, he'll enter the championship in an Audi S1 Quattro alongside compatriot Anton Marklund, who was moved to the squad from Marklund Motorsport.

"We're happy to announce that we will do the full world championship. This was the plan from the beginning when we started the project," Ekstrom said.

"Anton and I will share the number one status and do as many races as we can to become world champions, both as a team and as drivers. If it's me [who is champion] then I'm really happy, and if it's Anton then that's also good.

"In the teams' championship, I think we have a very good chance. I like collecting trophies and it's a hobby of mine to polish them, so I will continue to do that until I stop racing and maybe even after."

Ekstrom is targeting a third DTM crown with Audi, and that campaign starts at Hockenheim next month in a double header with World RX, while the DTM finale also clashes with the Italian World RX round.

With Marklund racing in the newly-created Audi TT Cup at DTM events, Ekstrom refused to be drawn on potential stand-ins after a number of drivers represented EKS RS in 2014.

"The biggest chance for wildcard guys in the team will be the races we are not sure we can do, which will be Hockenheim and Italy," he said.

"The rest we will do ourselves and try to do as well as possible. Last year I think we had a good driver line-up.

"We have been contacted by around 40 drivers since the last race last year, so we've got a pretty good network. Our aim is to win, so we will pick the guy who we believe can drive the fastest."

Ekstrom is adamant that driving in each class provides benefits for the other.

"Last year I proved that I can win in both cars," he said of DTM and World RX Audis.

"I have felt I became a better qualifier in DTM after I started rallycross. In rallycross you have no time to start slowly and increase your pace, you have to be on the limit straight away.

"In the other direction, I have learnt a lot from the option tyre in DTM, even in only six laps in rallycross that can make a difference, the tyres can get very hot in that time."

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