Andreas Bäckman competes for Sweden in the “Olympics of Motorsport” in France

This weekend, October 26^th-30^th, Andreas Bäckman competes for Sweden in the “Olympics of Motorsport” FIA Motorsport Games in France. Bäckman will compete in the Touring Car category for Comtoyou Racing in an Audi RS 3 LMS TCR.
– It’s a big honour to be selected to represent Sweden in this prestigious event and I’m looking forward to measure myself against the other drivers, Andreas Bäckman says.

The well-known Circuit Paul Ricard track, located near Marseille in France, hosts the FIA Motorsport Games this weekend on October 26^th-30^th, which will be run for the second time since the first race was held at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome in Italy in 2019. A total of 16 different motorsport disciplines are run during these five days, with each country appointing a driver for each discipline and competing for their country and competing for gold, silver, and bronze medals. The competition is also usually called the "Olympics of Motorsports" and, like the Olympic Games, it is also has opening and closing ceremonies. The opening ceremony takes place in the city of Marseille, where every country participates.

The Sweden National Team driver Andreas Bäckman has been selected by the Swedish Automobile Sports Federation to represent Sweden in the Touring Car category and will be part of Team Sweden's eight drivers. He will compete in an Audi RS 3 LMS TCR-car for the Belgian team Comtoyou Racing, and is looking forward to driving with the Swedish colours in the prestigious competition:

- It is a great honor to have the opportunity to represent Sweden in one of the world's biggest motorsport competitions in the "Olympics of motorsport" FIA Motorsport Games. After a season where I made a comeback in the STCC in Sweden after three years competing internationally on European and World level for TCR cars, it will be fun to come back and compete at an international level again, Andreas Bäckman says.

Andreas has spent the majority of his motorsport career competing internationally and is looking forward to returning to Circuit Paul Ricard, where he last raced in 2020 in the TCR Europe Championship.

- Circuit Paul Ricard is a track that I like a lot and have raced at before. It will be a new team for me, Comtoyou Racing, but it is the same type of car that I have raced with in this year's STCC season, so the adjustment will not be huge, although of course it will be important to get to know a new team and how they are working. The goal together with the team is to win and to take home the gold medal for Team Sweden, Andreas Bäckman says.

- We are really happy to represent Team Sweden in the FIA Motorsport Games and especially with Andreas who knows the Audi RS 3 LMS TCR really well by his experience from competing in STCC this year, Francois Verbist, Team Manager of Comtoyou Racing, says.

Andreas Bäckman made his competition debut in go-karting in 2006 as a 10-year-old and has since competed around the world with many national and international successes in go-karting. In 2018, Andreas made his debut in car racing after many years in go-karting and one year in rallycross.

Since his debut in car racing in 2018, he has over the years taken wins, pole positions and podiums in several TCR championships. In 2018, he got a win, a pole position, and several podium places towards a 3^rdplace overall in the TCR UK Championship, which is the British counterpart of STCC.

In 2019, he took the step up to the European Series TCR Europe for Target Competition in a Hyundai i30 N TCR car and finished in 4^thplace overall with one victory, two pole positions and two podium places during the season. In 2020, he also competed in TCR Europe and took home a win in Barcelona.

In 2021, Andreas competed in the World Cup series WTCR - FIA World Touring Car Cup, and in 2022 he made a comeback after three years of international racing to STCC together with Lestrup Racing Team in an Audi RS 3 LMS TCR car. During 2022 he claimed multiple wins, pole-positions, podiums and fastest laps and finished 3^rd in the championship at the season finale last weekend at Mantorp Park in Sweden.

The competition structure of FIA Motorsport Games
The city of Marseille will host the Opening Ceremony on Wednesday, October 26^th, and a spectacular display of every country and its team of drivers parading under their country’s flag near Vieux-Port at the Mucem in Marseille.

Then, over the next four days, the FIA Motorsport Games races are run, with the different classes' arenas spread out depending on the format of the race. The Touring Car category is contested at Circuit Paul Ricard, which is located in Le Castellet, Var, France near Marseille.

Since opening in 1970, the track has hosted the French Formula One Grand Prix 17 times, and the track has also hosted many other national and international racing series. The track is 5.842 km long with 15 corners and the track offers a total of 167 different possible track layouts.

For the Touring Car category, the competition starts with practice on Friday October 28^th and Saturday October 29^th. On Saturday afternoon, timed Qualifying, which determines the starting position for the Qualifying Race. On Sunday October 30^th there is the Qualifying Race which is 25 minutes + 1 lap, and which in turn determines the starting position for the Main Race. The Main Race is 30 minutes + 1 lap and the first three drivers across the finish line win the gold, silver and bronze medals.

On Sunday afternoon, the event is ending with Prize Giving and is then followed by the Closing Ceremonies at Circuit Paul Ricard.


The event is broadcasted LIVE on FIA Motorsport Games website:
The Touring Car (TCR)-category at the FIA Motorsport Games at Circuit Paul Ricard on October 26^th-30^th are broadcasted LIVE at:
fiamotorsportgames.com/watch-live
Live-timing: fiamotorsportgames.com/watch-live
Information about the event: fiamotorsportgames.com/


Timetable for this weekend (FIA Motorsport Games – Circuit Paul Ricard):
(all times are in CEST/Swedish time)

Wednesday October 26^th:
19:30 Opening Ceremonies in Marseille

Friday October 28^th:
17:20 Free Practice 1

Saturday October 29^th:
12:20 Free Practice 2
18:05 Qualifying (Broadcasted LIVE on fiamotorsportgames.com/watch-live)

Sunday October 30^th:
09:40 Qualifying Race (Broadcasted LIVE on fiamotorsportgames.com/watch-live)
14:30 Main Race (Broadcasted LIVE on fiamotorsportgames.com/watch-live)
18:30 Closing Ceremonies at Circuit Paul Ricard

About the track (Circuit Paul Ricard):

Located in: Le Castellet, France
Length: 5,842 km
Corners: 15
Race duration: Qualifying Race: 25 minutes + 1 lap, Main Race: 30 minutes + 1 lap
Lap record (TCR): 2min 11.709s

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