Joel Eriksson (racing driver)

Eriksson began his karting career in 2007. He remained in karting until 2014.

In 2014, Eriksson made his debut in open-wheel racing in the ADAC Formel Masters, driving for Motopark-run Lotus.^[4] He claimed one victory and finished fifth overall.^[5] Eriksson remained with Motopark in the now-renamed series in 2015, finishing second in the standings after winning seven races.^[6][7]

In 2016, Eriksson moved to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship with Motopark. He won one race at Spa-Francorchamps and was fifth in the championship standings. He continued with the team into the 2017 season, where he was runner-up to Carlin's Lando Norris with seven wins.^[8]

Eriksson took part in the 2018 Macau Grand Prix with Motopark Academy.^[9] Despite collecting a crashed Ukyo Sasahara in qualifying, Eriksson qualified in fourth place.^[10] He took second in the qualification race after passing Sacha Fenestraz and Callum Ilott, before finishing second in the main race behind teammate Dan Ticktum.^[11][12]

Eriksson joined BMW Team RBM in 2018 to drive in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.^[13] During his debut season, Eriksson achieved his maiden DTM victory in a rain-drenched night race at Misano, making him the second-youngest DTM race winner in the process.^[14][15][16] He ended up 14th in the drivers' standings.^[17]

For the 2019 DTM season, Eriksson remained at Team RBM.^[18] At round 2 in Zolder, Eriksson held off Nico Müller to finish second in race 1.^[19] He scored another podium at the Norisring, claiming third place in race 1. After finishing 11th in the standings, Eriksson was excluded from BMW's DTM driver roster for the 2020 season.^[20]

Despite being overlooked for a place in the DTM, Eriksson remained with BMW in 2020, racing in the ADAC GT Masters with Schubert Motorsport and sharing his car with Aidan Read.^[21] The pair only scored points on three occasions during the season, resulting in 37th place in the drivers' standings.^[22]

After missing the opening three rounds of the 2021 season, Eriksson joined Porsche-fielding KÜS Team Bernhard. At the Nürburgring season finale, Eriksson and teammate Marco Holzer finished second during race 2.^[23][24]

During 2022, Eriksson drove for Century Motorsport in three races of the British GT Championship.^[25]

Having attained his Nordschleife Grade A permit during his time with BMW, Eriksson joined Falken Motorsports for the 6 Hours of the Nürburgring as part of the 2022 Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie.^[26] Partnering Sven Müller, Eriksson took the lead from Patrick Assenheimer with two hours to go and extended his lead, thus taking a dominant victory in his first GT3 race at the Nordschleife.^[27][28] He then joined Müller, Alessio Picariello, and Jaxon Evans for the subsequent 12-hour race in Falken's No. 3 car.^[29] After running a clean race, the No. 3 claimed the win.^[30][31][32]

Eriksson reunited with Falken for the 2023 NLS campaign, partnering Müller for the NLS1 season opener.^[33] The duo finished 12th.^[34] Eriksson then ended NLS2 in ninth alongside Tim Heinemann while setting the fastest lap, before contesting the 24 Hours of Nürburgring alongside Heinemann, Nico Menzel, and Martin Ragginger in the No. 44 Falken.^[35][36] They ended the race tenth overall, two laps behind the leading car.^[37] At NLS5, Eriksson partnered David Pittard and claimed a dominant victory, setting the fastest lap in the process.^[38][39][40]

In 2024, Eriksson remained with Falken in the NLS. He and Nico Menzel won NLS1, with Eriksson pulling off the race-winning overtake on Porsche factory driver Laurens Vanthoor in the second half of the race.^[41][42] During NLS2 the following day, Eriksson and Tim Heinemann finished third.^[43] At that year's 24 Hours of Nürburgring, Falken once again fielded Eriksson, Heinemann, Menzel, and Ragginger in its No. 44 entry.^[44] The race was ended prematurely, resulting in the lineup's second successive tenth-placed finish. Eriksson ended his time at Falken Motorsports with an 11th place at the penultimate NLS race of 2024.^[45]

Eriksson tested Formula E machinery for the first time in January 2018, driving for DS Virgin Racing in the 2018 rookie test at Marrakesh.^[46]

Eriksson was named by Dragon Racing as its official test and reserve driver for the 2019–20 season, taking part in the March 2020 rookie test at Marrakesh.^[47] He retained the role the following year as the team rebranded as Dragon / Penske Autosport. He made his debut in the championship at the 2021 Puebla ePrix, replacing regular driver Nico Müller, who left the team due to several clashing commitments.^[48] He finished the 2021 season with one point in eight races.

Eriksson made his first start since the 2021 Berlin ePrix for Envision Racing at the 2024 Berlin ePrix, subbing in for Robin Frijns who had commitments in the World Endurance Championship.^[49] Having retired from race 1 following a collision, Eriksson scored points in race 2 by finishing ninth, thus ending the team's four-race points drought.^[50][51]

Eriksson was promoted to a full-time race seat for the 2025–26 season with Envision Racing, replacing Robin Frijns and partnering Sébastien Buemi.^[52] At the season-opening São Paulo ePrix, Eriksson qualified eighteenth, but moved up the order late in the race to finish seventh and in the points.^[53] Round three in Miami proved to be successful for the Swede, qualifying sixth in his maiden duel-stage qualifying appearance in the championship.^[54] Following the start, Eriksson moved up to fourth in the initial stages of the race, before being overtaken by Félix da Costa and Pascal Wehrlein, and fell further down to seventh following an overtake from Mitch Evans.^[55] A crash between Felipe Drugovich and Félix da Costa promoted Eriksson up to fifth place. In the final laps of the race, he overtook Nyck de Vries for fourth, where Eriksson remained until the finish, securing his best finish in the championship to date.^[56]

Eriksson is the younger brother of racing driver Jimmy Eriksson.^[7]