Interview With Marcus Ericsson

The Long Beach Grand Prix in 2023 has a little bit of something for everyone. The annual earsplitting event lures in 185,000 cheering fans with a wide range of races from IndyCar to IMSA to Stadium Super Trucks. The melting pot of cultures and countries of origin are evident not just in the overflowing bleachers, but also in the drivers’ seats.

Racer Marcus Ericsson is one of the fan favorites that adds a little, sweet Huski chocolate to the “melting pot”. The natural question to be asking the 2022 Indy 500 champion is, at least from an Angeleno’s perspective, what cars do you love?

“I'm a big fan of SUVs, so I like SUV's! My first car was a [Volvo] Model 740. You know, that's a pretty cool car,” says Ericsson, with a wide grin on his youthful face.

Marcus grew up in Sweden, which is world’s away from Southern California. It begs the question; can Marcus tell us some of the differences between driving in Sweden and Los Angeles?

“We don't have like 6 files [lanes], or whatever how many files you have, [on] motorways or highways. In Sweden it’s one or two files maximum, that's for starters, that's a big difference,” states Marcus. “We're quite a small country. So, we don't have the same road net [network of roads/highways] that you have here in the states. So, it's quite different. And you know, we don't have traffic like LA traffic, that's for sure [laughs].”

IndyCar races typically have a fair share of accidents, and Marcus Ericsson is able to thread the needle and deftly avoids those. However, when it comes to normal street driving, does he find it's safer here or safer driving in Sweden?

Ericsson eagerly replies, “I think percentage wise it's probably similar because you have so many cars and probably people here. I think Sweden we're pretty good at the safety side with the cars and stuff these days. So yeah, I'm not an expert. I'm not sure.”

Of course, what we really want to know is, how is it that somebody in Sweden finds their way into IndyCar racing?

“I think it started for me watching IndyCars, when I was younger, on TV. It was broadcasting on Swedish television. As a kid I was watching Kenny Bräck racing here in the States and winning the 500 in ’99, and that sort of got me interested in IndyCar and dreaming of IndyCar from being a kid.” Marcus goes on to say, “I was doing go-karts as a kid, so I was already started in in Motorsports.”

It's hard to deny it, Sweden is a small country with big aspirations. Marcus Ericsson’s third place podium finish at the Grand Prix at Long Beach shows that it doesn’t matter where you start, it’s where you finish. Marcus came in P1 at The Thermal Club, and he earned a first-place finish at the IndyCar race at St. Pete. At the moment, the smiling Swede is ranking first in overall points. Today Long Beach, tomorrow the world… or maybe Indianapolis!

Editor’s note: LA Car’s Publisher, John-Fredrik Wright, hails from Sweden, as well. While Wright enjoys his time behind the wheel, don’t expect our esteemed publisher to be piloting an IndyCar anytime soon. But, never say never!