Gelleråsen Arena in Karlskoga, Sweden, played host to the official pre-season test for the 2025 NXT Gen Cup this past weekend.
Eighteen drivers enjoyed extensive running across eight sessions, with Dutch driver Lukas Stiefelhagen setting the fastest lap of the test.
Under sunny spring skies, the two-day test not only marked the on-track start of the season but also gave drivers valuable time to work closely with their engineers and mechanics.
Stiefelhagen, who finished fourth in last year’s championship, wasted no time making his mark—topping the timesheets in the first three sessions on Saturday. Behind him, the battle for the top positions was fierce, with consistent pace from series newcomer Philipp Dietrich and returning drivers Alex Gustafsson and Patricija Stalidzane, among others.
Saturday concluded with Dietrich going fastest in the final session, setting the quickest time of the day.
Sunday brought similar warm and sunny conditions, and the story at the top remained largely the same—Stiefelhagen continued his dominant form by going fastest in all four sessions. However, the gaps between drivers began to shrink significantly, with the top 10 separated by less than a second in the eighth and final session, and the full field covered by just four seconds—an indication of how competitive the season is shaping up to be.
Several standout performances caught the eye. Germany’s Sean Terre, stepping into a race car for the very first time after honing his skills in the sim racing world, impressed by consistently running inside the top 10. Further down the order, 14-year-old Vera Jurland also made her car racing debut and focused on logging as many laps as possible—demonstrating remarkable maturity and composure well beyond her years.
Brothers Sid and Ringo Jensen filled in for two regular drivers and made the most of the opportunity. Both ran near the front throughout the test, with Sid Jensen clocking the second-fastest lap of the entire weekend.
All in all, the pre-season test was a major success, according to NXT Gen Cup founder Fredrik Lestrup:
There are so many positives to take away from this weekend. We had two full days of running in perfect spring weather, and while Lukas Stiefelhagen clearly showed strong pace, what stood out was the depth of talent across the field. This was a crucial shakedown for both drivers and cars. With 18 cars on the grid and a unique mix of drivers across age and gender, we’re fully prepared—and very excited—for the season opener – said Lestrup.
Official pre-season test results (Combined best times)
- Lukas Stiefelhagen (NED) – 1:16.320
- Sid Jensen (SWE) – 1:16.571
- Philipp Dietrich (AUT) – 1:16.639
- Alex Gustafsson (SWE) – 1:16.784
- Patricija Stalidzane (LVA) – 1:16.813
- Ringo Jensen (SWE) – 1:16.859
- Maxim Dacher (GER) – 1:17.009
- Sean Terre (GER) – 1:17.078
- Siri Hökfelt (SWE) – 1:17.290
- Lennart Wolf (GER) – 1:17.332
- Bennet Ehrl (GER) – 1:17.511
- Julian Würtele (GER) – 1:17.611
- Benjamin Mazatis (GER) – 1:17.639
- Linda Frey (LIE) – 1:17.889
- Andreas Kapfinger (AUT) – 1:18.057
- Theo Wieder (GER) – 1:18.168
- Vera Jurland (SWE/DEN) – 1:19.291
- Viviann Ehrl (GER) – 1:20.118
Source: NXT Gen Cup
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