Sverre Isachsen

Sverre Isachsen is a Norwegian rallycross driver who was the European rallycross champion for three years in a row from 2009 to 2011, driving a Ford Focus T16.

Isachsen was the ERX regular competitor from 2002 to 2011, then he competed in the North American-based Global Rallycross Championship from 2012 to 2016, driving for Subaru Rally Team USA.

Sverre Isachsen

Norwegian rallycross champion early in a career

Born in November 1970, Sverre Isachsen started his racing career in 1989. He reached the peak in national competitions in 1999, winning the Norwegian Rallycross Championship and then repeating the same in 2000.

Isachsen started his international career in 2002, competing with Ford Focus WRC in the European Rallycross Championship. He participated in five rounds, reaching a podium (2nd place) in the German round.

He switched to Ford Focus T16 in 2003 and clinched his first Euro RX victory next year, in the Swedish round. He won three times in 2005, finishing third in the championship. Isachsen was among the front-runners in the following three years, winning five times in total and finishing fourth in the championship for three years in a row from 2006 to 2008.

Sverre Isachsen was the best European rallycross driver from 2009 to 2011

European rallycross champion for three consecutive seasons

Isachsen reached the peak in the European Rallycross Championship in 2009, winning the Divison 1 title in a Ford Focus ST T16. That year, he won three events and added four more podiums to stop the Swedish domination in the championship because the Swedish drivers were champions for eleven seasons in a row from 1998 to 2008.

In 2010, Isachsen defended a title with five wins, defeating the most decorated ERX driver Kenneth Hansen. In 2011, Division 1 became the Supercar class. Isachsen stayed in a Ford Focus and clinched his third title in a row, winning five out of ten events. For his achievements, Isachsen was awarded as the "Driver of the Year" by the Norwegian Autosport Federation in 2010 and 2011.

Isachsen scored his only GRC victory in 2014 in Seattle

Five seasons with Subaru in the Global Rallycross Championship

In 2012, Isachsen accepted a new challenge and moved his career to the US, participating in the second season of the Global Rallycross Championship with Subaru Puma Rallycross Team USA. He was driving a Subaru Impreza WRX STi in all six events, scoring one podium and finishing ninth in the points.

In 2013, he was on a podium two times and finished seventh in the GRC standings. His best season was in 2014 when the team was renamed to Subaru Rally Team USA. He won at Seattle and finished fifth in the final standings.

In 2015, Isachsen scored no wins or podiums, finishing eleventh in the points. In 2016, he participated in just four rounds, without notable results. It was his last competitive season.

Sverre Isachsen ended his rallycross career in 2016

Photos: Sverre Isachsen FB, Larry Chen/Red Bull,