Morin strikes first in NXT Gen Cup’s Swedish Junior Championship at Mantorp
Photo by: Martin Öberg
The opening day of the 2025 NXT Gen Cup Swedish Junior Championship is in the books, with Brink Motorsport’s Hannes Morin – a former STCC race winner and Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia driver – emerging victorious in his very first race behind the wheel of the electric LRT NXT1 car.
The day began in chilly conditions, and with the Thursday test session still fresh in mind, it was clear the field had grown increasingly competitive as drivers adapted to the characteristics of the fully electric cars.
Hallman sets the early pace
Friday morning’s Free Practice saw returning NXT Gen Cup star Enzo Hallman pick up where he left off last season, topping the timesheets ahead of Alex Gustafsson, this year’s P3 finisher in the regular NXT Gen Cup season, just four hundredths of a second behind, and the 2024 vice-champion Victor Nielsen in third.
In the all-important qualifying session, which decided the grids for Races 1 and 3, Hallman maintained his momentum and secured double pole positions. Aquila Formula 1000 star Linus Stjernelund slotted into second, placing the two on the front row for both races.
Tight racing and big drama
When the lights went out for Race 1 on Friday afternoon, Hallman made a strong start, chased by Gustafsson, Stjernelund, 2023 NXT Gen Cup champion Elias Adestam, and Morin. Gustafsson wasted no time in overtaking Stjernelund for P2, while Morin held firm in the top five.
As expected, Mantorp Park’s long back straight – known as “The Strip” – proved decisive, with slipstreaming and Push-to-Pass opportunities shaping the battles. Hallman led the early stages, but the pack remained glued to his rear bumper.
With three laps to go, Gustafsson pulled alongside Hallman through the Mjölby Corner and snatched the lead, while Morin seized the chance to climb into third. Hallman, however, immediately fought back and reclaimed the top spot, only to run wide at the tricky F2 Corner, dropping him down the order.
Heading into the final lap, the fight for victory boiled down to Gustafsson, Morin, Stjernelund, Adestam, and Legends Cup champion Albin Karlsson. Using the slipstream to full effect, Morin launched his Push-to-Pass and swept past Gustafsson. Despite late pressure, he held firm to take a memorable debut win, with Gustafsson second and Stjernelund third.
Photo by: Sebastian Jansson
Driver reactions
”It was a really exciting race starting from P6,” said winner Hannes Morin. ”With the big tow on the back straight I managed to catch the guys ahead. We fought hard but kept it clean, and just worked our way forward from there. I’m really happy with P1.”
”I’m definitely happy with P2—great points for the championship,” said Alex Gustafsson. ”It was a wild race, with plenty of contact and action as always in NXT Gen Cup. I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
”It was a really intense race,” added Linus Stjernelund after securing third. ”Of course I wanted the win, but finishing on the podium shows I’ve got the pace to fight at the front. It’s a good boost for confidence.”
Notable performances
Despite fading to ninth at the flag, Enzo Hallman was later promoted to eighth after a penalty for TCR ace Viktor Andersson. That result puts Hallman back on pole for tomorrow’s second race thanks to the reversed-grid format.
An honorable mention goes to 15-year-old Vera Jurland, who impressed with the fastest lap of the race on her way to 12th, securing an extra championship point.
Morin in early championship lead
Morin ends the day leading the championship on 30 points, with Gustafsson just four behind. Two more races are on the schedule for tomorrow, both streamed LIVE on the NXT Gen Cup YouTube channel.
Championship – Top 5
After 1 of 3 races:
Hannes Morin, 30pts
Alex Gustafsson, 26 pts
Linus Stjernelund, 23 pts
Albin Karlsson, 17 pts
Elias Adestam, 14 pts
Saturday’s Schedule
Times in CEST
09:00 – Race 2 (LIVE on YouTube)
14:10 – Race 3 (LIVE on YouTube)
Scheduled times are subject to change.
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.