Joel Granfors, 18, from the Swedish town of Eskilstuna, is a promising young racing driver and double champion in Scandinavian junior motorsport. In 2023, he entered the American single-seater landscape with a move into INDYCAR support series USF Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires, immediately winning at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Joel finished second overall, as the top rookie, in the 2022 GB3 Championship – Britain’s top-tier domestic single-seater series.

In 2021, Joel raced in the F4 British Championship, finishing a strong fourth overall.

The 2020 season saw Joel contest both the Aquila Synergy Cup and Formula Nordic championships, two of Sweden’s leading series for aspiring racing hopefuls. Having dominated throughout, he sealed both titles in emphatic fashion – despite sitting out the first round of the Formula Nordic campaign.

At the Formula Nordic round in Skellefteå – only his second-ever weekend in the car – Joel set a new record by winning all three races of the meeting; becoming the first driver ever to achieve the feat.

Joel is part of the Sweden National Team in racing, just like younger brother Linus, and is also an avid sim racing player. He currently holds the iRacing Dallara F3 world record around the Silverstone and Daytona circuits.

LIVES: Eskilstuna, Sweden
BRON: 2005-06-24
FAMILY: Mother Carin, father Joakim, younger brother Linus

“Joel is clearly a driving talent destined for great things. We look forward to working with Joel and providing him with guidance and support for his future endeavors.”

– Swedish motorsport ASN, the SBF

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

KARTING

SIM RACING

2023 USF Pro 2000

Joel enters the American single-seater landscape with a move into INDYCAR support series USF Pro 2000. Racing for Exclusive Autosport, he quickly becomes a winner as he takes the chequered flag at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. After a more difficult summer derails Joel’s title ambitions – and his quest for the all-important scholarship to move into INDY NXT – the decision is mutually made to end the season early and instead focus on 2024. Still, the step onto American soil is largely successful, establishing Joel as one of the top properties on the INDYCAR ladder.

RESULTS

USF Pro 2000

Joel sat out the final two rounds of the campaign to instead reallocate efforts to the 2024 season.
Below are the relevant standings following Joel’s last race (the 13th of a total 18 on the calendar).

1: Myles Rowe (USA), 299 p.
2: Kiko Porto (BRA), 218 p.
3: Salvador de Alba (MEX), 215 p.
4: Joel Granfors (SWE), 206 p.
5: Michael d’Orlando (USA), 206 p.
STATS & FACTS
GALLERY

2022 GB3 Championship

Joel remains at Fortec Motorsport, but steps up the ranks to GB3 – formerly known as British Formula 3. The campaign proves a major success, with Joel taking second in the standings behind more experienced local racer Luke Browning.

RESULTS
STATS & FACTS
GALLERY

2021 F4 British Championship

Joel heads to the UK for his international single-seater debut, contesting the competitive F4 British Championship for reigning champions Fortec Motorsport. With a host of podiums, fastest laps and a first crucial victory, he ends the season fourth overall to lead the team’s championship charge.

RESULTS
FACTS & STATS
GALLERY

2020 Formula Nordic & Aquila Synergy Cup

Joel sweeps the Swedish domestic junior scene with a brace of championship wins at record pace. An unchallenged Aquila Synergy Cup title is backed up by an emphatic performance in the Formula Nordic series, which Joel wins despite not joining until the second round of the season. He swiftly writes history in only his second appearance in the series in Skellefteå, becoming the first driver to win all three races of a Formula Nordic event.

RESULTS
FACTS & STATS
GALLERY

2019 Aquila Synergy Cup

The new entry-level Aquila Synergy Cup marks Joel’s point of entry into car racing. Despite joining only halfway through the season, Joel ends up winning more races than anyone; an early indication of things to come.

RESULTS
STATS & FACTS
GALLERY

2012-2019 Karting

Getting his first kart at the tender age of five, Joel soon gets a taste for success on the Swedish karting tracks. Among the most notable achievements are three wins in the Swedish Cup – in three different categories, at that – and victory in the prestigious Klippan Cup. Joel continues to race in karts until early 2019, when he finally steps across to cars.

RESULTS
STATS & FACTS

– Gets his first Puffo kart aged five
– Competition debut takes place in Cadetti class

– Starts out in the Micro category aged seven and wins the 2015 Swedish Cup in the same class
– Hired as official works junior driver for Gold Kart in Italy in 2017 (Junior 60) and reached international Mini ROC finale
– Wins the Swedish Cup again in 2017 (Junior 60) and 2018 (OK Junior)
– Victory in Klippan Cup (OK Junior), one of Sweden’s biggest karting events, in 2019
GALLERY

Sim racing

Complementing his real-life activities, Joel is a frequent sim racer. A frontrunner on the global iRacing platform, he has even set two world records behind the screen. Sim work is an integral part of a racing driver’s preparation and is key on every level on the road to Formula 1.