Deven Lewis Grabko is an American Swedish racing driver from Trollhättan, Sweden, and one of the most promising young motorsport talents coming through the Swedish junior ranks at the moment.
The young driver just celebrated his 13th birthday in December and was Sweden’s most decorated junior karting driver in 2024, winning two national championship series titles as well as Sweden’s most prestigious karting race, the Gothenburg Grand Prix.
For 2025, the young rising star exchanges his karting gear for a HANS device and Nomex underwear, graduating to single seater formula car racing. Represented by respected Italian management agency, Minardi Management, Deven has signed with Danish team Keda Motorsport to race in the Nordic Aquila Formula 1000 Championship, Scandinavia’s premier single seater development series for drivers looking to move on to F4 and beyond.
We had the pleasure of sitting down with him and chatting about his racing career so far, and his plans for the future.
So, Deven, you have an impressive season behind you in karting. What do you think contributed the most to your success? Did you just have the best engines and chassis, or what?
“I think what helped most was all the work we put in, we were literally on track 3 times a week all winter, and did all the winter races we could internationally. Of course, it is a material sport, you need good stuff but that only gives you a chance, you still have to go out and do the drive. It’s not like some of the mini categories, where a top engine would save you all the time.”
Well, you really exploded onto the scene as one of the drivers to beat – You came to dominate several of the Swedish junior categories pretty unexpectedly to be honest. Why did juniors suit you so much?
“I don’t know to be honest! I always felt I was a good driver, but was too tall and heavy to show it in Mini60. When the track gripped up I was always at a disadvantage. There were only a few tracks where I could really show my speed in specific conditions.”
You did take your first big win in Mini60 though, at the 2023 Linköping Open. How was that for you and did it help you in any way coming into the junior categories?
“Of course that win will always be a great karting memory. It was the first time ever at that track for me, and the free practice had been all in soaking wet conditions. So the next morning was the first time I drove it in the dry ever and managed to put it on pole, my first ever. The track was green and never really got heavy all race day so I could show my speed, had a great come from behind win there so really had to work for it. It was really satisfying, and basically showed me that I could really do it.”
Speaking of satisfying, your debut and only season in Juniors must have really made you happy. You won two national championships in Sweden, as well as the country’s biggest karting race, the Gothenburg Grand Prix, qualified P2 at the Swedish Championships as well, represented the USA at the FIA Motorsport Games, and qualified for the IAME world finals by winning Sweden’s only golden ticket to the event – filling your trophy case to the brim. That’s a lot of success – but what was the most satisfying for you last year?
“Must almost be a tie, I think. Winning the Gothenburg Grand Prix was so hard core, what a great field of drivers, and because it was also the final round of the IAME Series Sweden. It was so tight at the top, with all three of us teammates! I needed to win and have other results go my way. I was able to do it, and took home the championship and the GGP win all at the same time.
The other one has to be in Helsingborg. It was my first Junior win, my first junior pole position, and I won every heat and the final, the first time I had swept everything like that. Was a really great feeling.”
What do you do to prepare yourself for a race day like that? Do you have any special routines or anything like that?
“I mean, for me it can get into my head too much if I think too much about it. All my preparation comes in training and testing and I try to keep my head in the moment, and not think ahead too much. Like I put in the work before and then it is all about executing when the actual moment comes and I’m out on track.”
So you try not to put too much pressure on yourself?
“Exactly – I am at my best when I can get into this zone where I just go out, do my best, and see what happens, with no expectations.”
Well it seems like you managed to do that quite a lot, considering your results last year – but there surely must have been pressure – how important was it for you to win all these races and championships?
“Yeah, I mean we really went for it last season. Even though it was my rookie year in Juniors, it was almost planned to be all or nothing – we maxed out the races we could do with the resources we had available to us – it would have been super hard for us to do another season like that again, we just don’t have the money, it really stretched my family. My mom is a school teacher and my dad just runs his own small 1 man company. I think we did like 40 races in total? 10 or something at international level, so yeah, I raced a lot!
Winning these championships was super important – if I hadn’t I wouldn’t be driving in a formula car this season, and I wouldn’t have gotten the same opportunities as last year karting either. Honestly don’t know where I would be right now, so I am really grateful to actually have won it all.”
Speaking of formula car racing – you will be making the jump to single seaters this year, competing in the Nordic Aquila Formula 1000 Championship. Are you excited? Are you going to miss karting? Or is it a case of just looking ahead?
“Well it is hard – I mean I love karting, it is the only racing I’ve known, and I know I am really good at it, so of course I am going to miss it. I made some really great friends there and my team, AD Motorsport, is like family now, so I am going to miss them a lot!
Starting in single seaters is a massive step, there is so much to learn and you of course go into it excited and trying to soak it all up, so yeah, it isn’t an easy transition.”
Yes, but you are obviously a very talented karting driver, won’t that carry right over into car racing?
“Hahaha, that is what you would think, bro. I found out right away when I got into the car last year for the first time that it is totally different. Like all the concepts are really familiar, but the technique is completely different, and everything is so much more complex. It is overwhelming at first. You have to like relearn everything!”
Everything? Like what?
“Heh – everything! You have to relearn what feels fast, and retrain your instincts a lot. Weight transfer and balance, gear shifting – Formula 1000 uses an H-pattern gearbox so it really affects how you have to drive the car – a lot different than a sequential gearbox – also how you attack corners and use the pedals to control over and under steer – man the list goes on, you really don’t understand how big the step is until you get in the car and try to drive it at its limit. It is one thing to learn how to gear shift and drive the car around the track – but to push and be on the limit is something else completely.”
Sounds like you have your hands full! How old are you now?
“I just turned 13 in December.”
Woah, super young! How fast do these cars go, and will you be racing against drivers a lot older than you?
“The cars top out at about 180 km/h, so they are quick enough! Yeah, I think most of them will be at least 15 or older all the way into their 20’s.”
Does that bother you at all?
“At first, yeah. The thing is that you just automatically assume that an older, more experienced guy is going to be faster or better or something. But I mean, my dad says to me, ’just remember, you are the one that has won championships!’ and I guess he is right, you have to believe in yourself and not worry about who you are driving against.
I also remind myself that I was also almost the youngest driver in Juniors last year too, but I still beat everyone regularly. Heh…maybe it is best to not think about that too much – like I said, no expectations.”
You say no expectations, but what is it that you do hope to achieve this season?
“Well I mean I really want to be very competitive in the Rookie Championship this year. Winning that would be an amazing achievement I think. Keeping up with the most experienced guys would be cool too. I don’t really want to have any expectations beyond going out and learning and developing as much as I can, and seeing how far that can take me. Hopefully this year is just the start of a long journey.”
Well thanks very much for taking the time to sit down with us! I think it is going to be super exciting to follow you as you progress. Is there anything else you want to say to the readers?
“Just thanks for supporting me, and following me on all my social media and YouTube and stuff! It is really a boost and means a lot! And also thanks to all my sponsors and partners, my family, and everyone who has helped me thus far. I’m super thankful and will be pushing to get those results for all of you! Hope to see people come out to the races this year!”
For more information and to follow Deven’s motorsport journey here are links to his website and social media channels.
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Minardi Management
Aquila Formula 1000
