Biography Emil Bergkvist

Successful transition

Emil Bergkvist was a rally driver himself for ten years. The Swede even became World Junior Rally Champion at the wheel. In 2021, he switched to the co-driver's seat. As co-driver to his childhood idol Mattias Ekström, he delivered a convincing performance in Team Audi Sport right from the start.

Switching roles from driver to co-driver was not an easy decision for Emil Bergkvist: “I thought about it for a long time.” When no new rally cockpit could be found for him, he signed up with EKS in the summer of 2020. Among other things, Mattias Ekström runs his off-road motorsport activities with this company.

“At first, I drove machines and trucks at EKS because I also have a driver’s license for that. I also know a lot about technology and helped out in the workshop,” says Bergkvist, explaining his start at Ekström. “I worked my way up the ladder to get even better jobs step by step.”

The racing drivers Emil Bergkvist and Mattias Ekström talked more and more often. “First once a week, then twice, three times. We realized that we had a very good connection,” says Bergkvist. Finally, Ekström suggested to him: “Why don’t you put your driving career on hold and become my co-driver?” The new Swedish duo first competed in the 2021 Dakar Rally and then in some classic rallies such as the Arctic Rally Finland, a world championship round.

Like for many girls and boys in Sweden, Mattias Ekström used to be Emil Bergkvist’s idol. “In the last 20 years, there hasn’t been a motorsport driver in our country as successful as Mattias. Even today, I think a lot of young people look up to him, and not just in Sweden.”

As a colleague, Bergkvist has come to know and appreciate another side of the energetic, always combative Ekström: “Mattias also has a really warm-hearted side. He takes care of everyone around him. That’s exactly what you need when you work very hard and with a lot of dedication for someone.”

Emil Bergkvist is most impressed by Mattias Ekström’s extreme passion for motorsport. The two Swedes completed their first year in the Dakar project with flying colors. Ninth place in the Dakar Rally after various setbacks was a remarkable result in 2022. In the second year, they were again the best Audi team in 14th place. Now they want to prove their qualities once again for the third year in a row.

Emil Bergkvist (S)

Date of birth: June 17, 1994
Place of birth: Gävle (S)
Place of residence: Sandviken (S)
Marital status: single
Height/weight: 1.81 m/74 kg
Motorsport since: 1998 (Audi co-driver since 2021)

Career as a driver:

1998–2010 Motocross
2010–2013 Volvo Cup
2015 1st place European Rally Championship Juniors
2016 35th place World Rally Championship (WRC 2)
2017 17th place World Rally Championship (WRC 2)
2018 1st place World Rally Championship Juniors (WRC 3)
2019 27th place World Rally Championship

Career as a co-driver:

2021 Dakar Rally debut, Audi Dakar project
2022 9th place Dakar Rally (driver Mattias Ekström) (Audi RS Q e-tron)
2023 14th place Dakar Rally (driver Mattias Ekström) (Audi RS Q e-tron), 9th place Morocco Rally (driver Mattias Ekström) (Audi RS Q e-tron)

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