Felix Rosenqvist

Felix Rosenqvist is a racing driver from Sweden who competed in the various categories of motorsport in recent years. Currently, he drives for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Indy Car Series, taking the Rookie of the Year award in 2019.

Previously, he finished third in the 2017 Japanese Super Formula Championship and third in the 2016/2017 Formula E Championship. Earlier in a career, he was the 2015 FIA Formula 3 European champion and a champion in different Formula Renault regional competitions.

Felix Rosenqvist

Starting a stellar career in the Asian Formula Renault

Rosenqvist was born in November 1991 in the small town of Varnamo. As a boy, he has competed in karting events, eventually finishing 2nd in 2005 Nordic Championship. He stayed in karting racing at the international level until 2007.

After graduating in karting, Felix started a single-seaters racing career, competing in the Asian Formula Renault. In 2007, as a member of March3 Racing team, he finished 4th overall and was named as Rookie of the Year. He stayed with the same team in 2008 and dominated the series, winning 10 put of 13 races before taking the championship title.

Felix took two Formula Renault titles in 2009

Two more championship titles in a return to Europe

Rosenqvist was engaged in two championships during 2009 and won the title in both as a driver of BS Motorsport. In the Formula Renault Sweden, Felix scored six wins and a total of 13 podium finishes, while in the Formula Renault North European Zone he had three wins and a total of nine podiums before he won the title with a margin of only one point.

In 2010, the Swedish racer moved to German Formula 3 Championship and as a pilot of Performance Racing team finished 5th in the points, with two wins out of 18 starts. He also qualified for the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix in which he took 9th position.

Felix spent a long time driving in Formula 3

Good results in the Formula 3 European Championship

Rosenqvist continued his single-seaters career with Mucke Motorsport. In 2011, he switched to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and in his rookie season finished 5th after he has scored one win and a total of 10 podium finishes. Before the end of the season, Felix won the Formula 3 Masters event, beating some well-known names like Marco Wittmann, Kevin Magnussen, Daniel Abt, and Laurens Vanthoor.

In the following year, Swedish racer moved up to the 3rd place in the Formula 3 championship. With three wins on his account and other four podiums, he picked a total of 192 points but finished well behind Daniel Juncadella and Raffaele Marciello. In the season finale, the Macau Grand Prix, Rosenqvist was second, losing to Antonio Felix da Costa.

The progress of the talented Swede continued in 2013 when he became the series runner-up. He won 10 out of 30 races what was an excellent achievement but still wasn’t enough for the title which was won by Marciello. As a consolation, Felix convincingly won the Masters of Formula 3 at Zandvoort Circuit.

Rosenqvist celebrates 2015 Formula 3 title

Felix was the 2015 Formula 3 European champion

Surprisingly, Rosenqvist’s form dropped a lot in the following year as he finished at the 8th place, with only one race win. However, a triumph at Macau Grand Prix arrived as a relief and stimulus for the new season.

Finally, in 2015 Rosenqvist won the FIA European Formula 3 Championship title. He moved to Prema Powerteam before the start of the season what proved to be probably a crucial detail. With a new car, Felix was able to show everything that he has. He had 13 wins and had other 11 podiums before was crowned as a champion with a margin of more than 100 points to the closest rival Antonio Giovinazzi. The perfect year was sealed with another triumph at Macau Grand Prix.

Felix Rosenqvist in the Indy Lights car in 2016

A plenty of new challenges in 2016

The season of 2016 was full of new experiences and most intense year in his career so far. Rosenqvist combined duties at both sides of Atlantic. In the US he debuted in the Indy Light Series driving for Belardi Auto Racing. He won three races and finished 10th overall.

As a member of Mercedes-Benz young driver development program, Felix also debuted in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup driving for AKKA-ASP team. He won one race, in the last round of the season at Catalunya Circuit, before finishing 7th in the final standings.

Driving in DTM always was a big wish of the Swedish racer who got an opportunity to drive in eight races with Mercedes’ ART team, but the results weren’t impressive and he picked only five points. Felix also appeared as a guest in the season-opening round of ADAC GT Masters and managed to finish in points in both races of the weekend at Oschersleben.

Rosenqvist debuted in DTM at Moscow Raceway

2017 - third place in the Formula E and Super Formula

Finally, he signed with Mahindra Racing Formula E team for 2016-2017 season. His debut was a solid one as he scored maiden points after having the fastest lap in Hong Kong e-Prix. In the second round, at Marrakesh, he scored his maiden podium, finishing third. The maiden victory came in the seventh round at Berlin ePrix. Until the end of the season, he added three more podiums to finish third in the championship.

Rosenqvist finished also third in the 2017 Japanese Super Formula Championship, in which he was driving the #7 Toyota for Sunoco Team LeMans. In seven races, he was on a podium three times.

Felix Rosenqvist spent two seasons in Formula E with Mahindra Racing

Double programme in 2018

Rosenqvist stayed with Mahindra Racing in the 2017-2018 Formula E season, winning two races and finishing sixth in the overall standings. Outside Formula E, he accepted a new challenge again, joining Lexus to drive the #6 Lexus LC500 for the full season in the Japanese Super GT Series. Sharing a car with Kazuya Oshima, he reached one podium at Chang International Circuit in Thailand.

During 2018, he also participated in some famous endurance races, joining Jackie Chan DC Racing at Daytona 24h and RAM Racing at Spa 24h.

In 2019, Felix Rosenqvist continued a career in the IndyCar Series

IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year in 2019

For 2019, it was announced that Rosenqvist will drive the #10 Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing in the IndyCar Series. He started the season with the sensational fourth place at St. Petersburg. Later, he reached two podiums (Mid-Ohio and Portland) and won the Rookie of the Year award, beating the closest rival Colton Herta by just five points.

Hakkinen as a role model

Rosenqvist’s favorite driver is a former Formula 1 champion Mika Hakkinen, while his favorite track is Guia Street Circuit in Macau. Before he started a serious racing career, Felix was a huge fan of the extreme sports. His hobbies are skiing, skateboarding, hiking, music, and video games.

Photo: Felix Rosenqvist, thecheckeredflag.co.uk felixracing.se fia.com autosport.com autoweek.com evperformance.co.uk