“I do not need therapy; I only need to go to Höljes every year”
On the back of a man's T-shirt in Swedish, it reads, "I don't need therapy, I just need to go to Höljes every year." This photo was taken on a beautiful sunny day in Värmland, Höljes, which hosts the biggest annual rallycross championship. Locals and fans alike call it The Magic Weekend, similar to Monaco for Formula 1.
Multitude is a proud partner of the FIA World Rallycross Championship and therefore the Magic Weekend.
We attended the event to learn more about why rallycross, despite being a small sport, is at the heart of many sports fans all around Nordics and the world.
(Picture taken during our drive from Stockholm to Höljes, only 450 km to go)
Humility, a key ingredient in overall sports and business success
In business and in serving our customers and clients, humility plays a vital role. The rallycross event is one that brings families together with its short and thrilling races that often have a relaxed and inclusive atmosphere. This sport sets itself apart from others as you can get up close and personal with drivers and freely explore pit areas and car displays. The drivers are incredibly approachable and act as great role models for the public. You can walk around and see top champions chatting away with their fans, and with the right ticket, access to the paddock at all times.
Rallycross events embody the true Nordic spirit of humbleness. As a company that was founded in Finland and has expanded to 18 European offices, humility remains a key element of our office culture and how we at Multitude conduct our business.
The event attracted around 40, 000 guests over a weekend, not bad for a town of only 150 residents!
(Autograph session, all the young fans line up patiently for their turn)
Inclusivity at its finest - female drivers, rising above your disability and electric cars
We find out that not only is it a rallycross family event, but it is also incredibly inclusive.
“It is healthy when we have diversity and with more women involved in rallycross – as stewards, marshals, mechanics, engineers, drivers, managers and media – this sport will be better and stronger than ever,” said Susann Hansen, who in 1994, made history and broke the mould as the first women ever to win a European Rallycross Championship title.
40% of the RX2e racers who competed in 2023 season opener in Norway earlier this year were women. In Höljes, there were a total of five female drivers.
A bit starstruck! Here we are with Åhlin-Kottulinsky, competing in the RX2e, the world’s first fully electric championship. She could not talk to us more due.
Mats Öhman: A Competitor Against All Odds
Mats Öhman, the public's favorite, is a heartwarming story in the paddock. Despite being paralyzed from the waist down after a snowmobile accident 25 years ago, he competes with a completely different car built around his disability. His car has no pedals, and he controls it using his upper body. Instead of a steering wheel, he uses a special knob on a lever that he operates with his left arm. Mats's car is inclusive, and it's a testament to his determination to continue competing despite his disability.
FIA RX2E Championship- the world’s first all-electric rallycross championship
Multitude’s future-focused approach is one of many synergies Multitude group shares with World RX, which last year became the first major motorsport series to switch from combustion engines to more environmentally friendly electric power.
In much the same vein, as part of our ESG commitment to making financial services fast, easy and above all green, Multitude has vowed to reduce carbon emissions and footprint by 2025 while targeting increased gender balance across leadership positions within the company.
Jorma Jokela, CEO, Multitude, said:
“The FIA World Rallycross Championship and Multitude Group are an amazing match for co-operation. We are both accelerating the speed of our success stories through the latest technology and innovations. These fully electric cars reach 100km/h even faster than Formula 1, while still making ‘their business’ easy, and green, exactly as we are doing for financial services. We are excited to share this common mission with World RX and are happy to work together to make a change in our industries.”
And as Multitude continues to create success stories in FinTech, we leave you, our happy readers with a photo of our dear team member, rocking her Multitude t-shirt.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to be, and should not be taken as, professional or financial advice.