Alex Gustafsson crowned 2025 NXT Gen Cup Swedish Junior Champion
Photo by: Martin Öberg
Alex Gustafsson, 19, is the new NXT Gen Cup Swedish Junior Champion. After a weekend packed with drama at Mantorp Park, it was Gustafsson’s consistency that ultimately secured him the title.
Heading into Saturday’s decisive double-header, it was Friday’s race winner Hannes Morin who led the standings, four points clear of Gustafsson and seven ahead of 2023 champion Elias Adestam.
Morning battle with a reversed grid
Saturday’s first race featured a reversed grid, putting Enzo Hallman on pole alongside Danish driver Victor Nielsen. Hallman made the best start, chased by Nielsen, Linus Granfors, and Adestam. On the long straights of Mantorp Park, where slipstreaming is crucial, the field quickly formed a tight train of 18 fully electric LRT NXT1 cars.
By lap three, Hallman, Adestam, and Nielsen had broken away, while Gustafsson was charging forward in his Hankook-liveried No. 19 car. He swiftly passed both Karlsson and Granfors to move into fourth. One lap later, Adestam used the tow down “The Strip“ to pass Hallman for the lead at Mjölby Corner, only for Hallman to retaliate with the exact same move on the next lap.
As Adestam and Hallman traded the lead, Gustafsson seized the opportunity to overtake Nielsen for third. With four laps remaining, the gap was gone, and Gustafsson was in the fight for the win. In the treacherous F2 Corner, Adestam surprised Hallman with a move up the inside, taking the lead – while Gustafsson followed through into second.
On the final lap, Gustafsson attacked Adestam using push-to-pass, gaining 60 extra horsepower. Adestam defended, leaving the door open for Hallman. The trio went three-wide into Mjölby Corner, but all gave each other space. Adestam held on to win, while Gustafsson edged out Hallman for second by just 0.08 seconds.
The championship decider
Heading into the third and final race of the weekend, no fewer than nine drivers still had a mathematical shot at the title. But the momentum had shifted: Gustafsson now led the standings by four points over Morin, with Adestam seven points back and Hallman trailing by 17.
When the lights went out, Hallman launched into the lead, while Adestam surged into second and Morin slotted into third. Gustafsson, perhaps feeling the pressure, dropped to sixth behind Albin Karlsson. By the end of the opening lap, Adestam had already slipstreamed past Hallman for the lead – putting him in control of the championship as it stood.
But Hallman was hungry for his first NXT Gen Cup win. Already on the following lap, he repeated the slipstream pass on Adestam at Mjölby Corner, reclaiming the lead. Meanwhile, Gustafsson’s chances looked to be fading as he slipped back to seventh.
With six laps to go, Nielsen ran wide at the exit of Turn 1, allowing Gustafsson through into sixth – a turning point. From there, he mounted a spectacular comeback, passing Karlsson and Stjernelund to climb to fourth, setting the stage for a showdown between the championship’s top contenders: Hallman, Adestam, Morin, and Gustafsson.
On lap seven, Morin muscled past Adestam at Paris Corner, with Gustafsson following through into third.
The final lap was pure drama. Deploying push-to-pass with a perfect run onto The Strip, Gustafsson stormed past Morin into second at Mjölby Corner. Hallman, meanwhile, was untouchable out front, taking his long-awaited maiden NXT Gen Cup win – and with it third overall in the championship. Gustafsson’s second place was enough to crown him champion, while Morin’s third secured him the runner-up spot.
Enzo Hallman wins Race 3. Photo by: Martin Öberg
Gustafsson: “We did it – Swedish champions!”
An emotional Alex Gustafsson received the championship trophy after the race:
“We did it – Swedish champions!” said Gustafsson. “At the start I spun my wheels and dropped to P7. Honestly, I thought it was over. But I never stopped pushing, and now we’re here. I’ve worked so hard for this all year. I want to thank everyone back home for making this possible.”
Hannes Morin, Alex Gustafsson and Enzo Hallman. Photo by: Martin Öberg
Another electrifying season ends
The Mantorp Park weekend wrapped up an intense 2025 NXT Gen Cup season. With preparations for the 2026 calendar already underway, the fully electric touring car series will return even more electrifying and competitive than ever.
Championship – Top 5
Final standings after 3 races:
Alex Gustafsson, 76 pts
Hannes Morin, 68 pts
Enzo Hallman, 64 pts
Elias Adestam, 61 pts
Linus Stjernelund, 37 pts
About NXT Gen Cup
The NXT Gen Cup is the world’s first 100% electric junior touring car cup where young female and male drivers race the LRT NXT1, a fully electric race car based on the MINI Cooper SE road car – engineered and built by Lestrup Racing Team. The series races together with DTM and is organized through an “arrive and drive” concept, enabling the junior drivers to focus on driving and creating the foundation for a professional racing career.