Kristoffersson: “I missed the team celebrating this title”

You win the title from your sofa and not after a race. What do you feel ?

I am very happy. And for good reason, this is obviously my objective at the start of the season. I was aware that the challenge was significant, since I am defending the interests of a family team (Kristoffersson Motorsport. Editor's note) only fielding one car, so the satisfaction is immense.

But being titled remotely, isn’t that curious?

Of course, it's very different. In 2017 and 2018, I was assured of being champion even before the last race of the season. This year, I have a bit of the same feeling after all. It wasn't mathematically done, but I was 27 points ahead (over Mattias Ekström. Editor's note) so it was practically over.

How do you celebrate a title at home?

I missed the team celebrating this title. On the other hand, it was a pleasure to be able to celebrate it directly with my family, at home, something that I had not been able to do during my two previous titles. Yes, it was different, but I still enjoyed this moment alongside my loved ones.

Let’s talk about this double-sleeve, short-schedule season. Was the title harder to get?

We made very few mistakes and that was the key to my three World RX titles. But yes, it was hard, especially this year for a small structure like ours. Having been able to play almost the entire season despite health restrictions is, however, a real achievement. We had more administrative work than usual before the race weekends and, on site, we also had to deal with numerous constraints, including a reduced workforce, which is all the more detrimental for a small team fielding only one car. You don't have a teammate with whom to exchange information. To win the title with a small team is exceptional.

Find the full interview with Johan Kristoffersson in issue 2289 of AUTOhebdo.