The seventeenth of April 2023 is a day that Marcus Ericsson will never forget. Namely, it was then that he married his love, Iris Tritsaris Jondahl.
– Married life is very good. Iris has been with me for the last few years. She has been my great support and by my side, so it’s not that big of a difference. But it feels fantastic, says Ericsson.
But he still has to explain to people he meets that he got married, even though the couple went public about it on their social media.
– Many people thought we were engaged. I think there are still a lot of people who don’t get it.
Was it deliberate?
– Yes, but that was it. We decided to do it and wanted to do it here in the US to be able to start our lives together here. So we skipped that phase. We only told immediate family that we were going to do it. Then we want to have a real wedding and celebration with family and friends in the future at some point.
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In addition to the wedding couple, Ericsson’s personal trainer Alex Elgh was also present at the ceremony. He was there as a witness – and wedding photographer.
– I’d say he still gets a pass! He was standing with his iPhone and taking pictures so it wasn’t that high tech… But we’re going to go big and do a real wedding later and then Alex will probably see himself outcompeted in the photography spot, says Ericsson with a laugh.
Marcus Ericsson: “Difficult for people to understand”
The Swedish racing star had a perfect start to the season with a victory in the opening race in St Petersburg.
– It doesn’t get much better than that. I think I have developed in various areas, above all in qualifying where I have been better this year compared to before. It’s something we put a lot of work into, so it’s fun to see that development curve, says Ericsson.
In the last two races, however, he has lost points. In the championship, he has slipped from first to third place, where he is now 19 points behind leader Alex Palou.
– I’m a little disappointed with the last two. I think we had good speed but it feels in retrospect that we chose the wrong strategy so it’s a bit frustrating. At the same time, it’s a long season, it goes up and down. Everyone will have bad weekends and if you have eight or ten as your lowest level, that’s when you can win championships.
Qualifying for the Indycar season’s big highlight, the Indianapolis 500, begins this weekend.
For the reigning champion Marcus Ericsson, last year’s victory has led to many people’s image of him completely changing.
– I think the problem or the challenge for me was that you get a stamp when you are in Formula 1 for five years and are among the last most of the time. It’s hard for people to understand how material-based Formula 1 is and that I didn’t get a chance to show what I could do. It took an Indy 500 win to show everyone what I can really do. It’s fun to get that receipt that I’m one of the best at what I do, he says.
Photo: MIKE DINOVO / USA TODAY SPORTS PICTURE AGENCY
Have you changed in any way?
– I am the same person, I think that is important. But you have a different confidence now. When I came from Formula 1, my self-confidence was quite knocked down and I had to work quite hard to build it back up. And although you always believe in yourself, I feel like I’ve really proven to myself now that I can deliver at the highest level. I carry that with me in everything I do now.
Formula 1’s words that led to a storm of criticism
When the Formula 1 circus visited at the beginning of May, the Miami GP was described as “the greatest spectacle in the racing world” – something that was not very well received by the Indycar public.
– Yes, I saw it… says Ericsson with a laugh.
He continues:
– It was a bit of a miss, I think. Now, I haven’t driven the Miami GP, but I’ve driven a lot of Formula 1 races and there’s nothing on the same level as the Indy 500. It’s a unique event that is “the greatest spectacle in racing”, as the Indy is 500 has always been called.
What makes the Indy 500 so special?
– It is partly the history, that it has existed for over 100 years. And so it’s so much bigger than racing. All of Indianapolis and Indiana live the Indy 500 for a whole month, it’s not just one weekend. I live here and everyone talks about the Indy 500, hangs flags on their houses. For several families it has been important for several generations, they have their tickets that they have had for 50, 100 years and they always sit in the same seats. There are around 330,000 people who are there every year. And then the speeds. We drive 360 kilometers per hour wheel to wheel, 33 cars. There is something very unique about it that cannot be compared to other competitions.
Before this year’s Indy 500, Ericsson has chosen to drive in a specially designed helmet in honor of Ronnie Peterson.
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It is far from the first time that the 32-year-old pays tribute to the Swedish racing legend. During his time in Formula 1, he drove with a Ronnie Peterson replica in connection with the Monaco Grand Prix and even the helmet he drives with everyday in Indycar is influenced by Peterson.
– Ronnie was the one who somehow showed the way for Sweden in the world of motorsport. It’s fun and cool to honor him, says Ericsson.
Wants to help the kids: “Looked really cool”
Anyone who likes helmets also has the chance to bid home one of Ericsson’s other specially designed helmets.
He began the month by driving the Indianapolis GP wearing a helmet decorated with drawings of sick children, with all proceeds from the bidding going to Riley’s Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.
– I’m trying to use my platform now that I’ve become Indy 500 champion to do good things and then this idea came up last winter. And I thought it looked really cool, says Ericsson.
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He specifically chose the Indianapolis GP partly to start the upload before the Indy 500, partly to draw attention to “Mental Health Awareness Month” which takes place in May every year in the USA.
– I think it is an important area, especially in today’s society.
Have you struggled with mental health yourself?
– Absolutely. I think it is a very important area, partly for sportsmen, but also in general. It’s something I’ve been curious about throughout my career and I’ve worked with several different mental coaches. This winter I have worked very hard with Stig Wiklund in Sweden who has helped me a lot to develop mentally. After all, it is people’s superpower in a way, how you handle it and use it to your strength. And it can also be one’s worst enemy. I think it is so powerful and I know how many people are having a tough time and the problems that exist in today’s society. So it’s an important area to highlight this month.
The mental aspect is one of the most important parts to deal with before such a huge event as the Indy 500.
– You have to try to balance it. If you think too much about how big it is, it can become a lock. It’s like our Olympics, you get one chance a year and then you have to deliver. It is not always so easy to do so, so it is important to have a plan and be prepared.
If you had to choose between winning the championship or taking a second win in the Indy 500, which would you take?
– It is clearly the Indy 500. After all, I want to win both… but the Indy 500 is still the absolute biggest.
