A merited Polestar Cyan Racing line-up is going to meet a new challenge in this weekend’s Scandinavian Touring Car Championship season opener at the airport circuit in Skövde, Sweden.
Five fast facts
• Drivers Richard Göransson and Robert Dahlgren have together claimed 56 STCC victories
• The Skövde circuit is located at an airport and is built just one week prior to the premiere
• Scott McLaughlin races for Volvo Car Australia and is currently placed 2nd overall
• Polestar Cyan Racing has taken part in all STCC seasons since the championship start in 1996 but one
• New for 2016 is that all drivers must exclude their worst race weekend of the season in the points
The level of competition has increased for the 2016 STCC season with new manufacturers like SEAT and Ford, new teams and new drivers.
The line-up for Polestar Cyan Racing is new as well, with four-time STCC champion Richard Göransson, 2010 STC Cup champion Robert Dahlgren and V8 Supercars race winner Scott McLaughlin making a one-off appearance.
”A new team, new team mates and a new car. We had a good pre-season test that really boosted my confidence and I am longing to get going. The most important thing is that the team wins both titles. I do of course want to stand on top of the podium, but we our main objective is to work as a team to claim the titles,” said Göransson.
Göransson broke the lap record of Knutstorp during the pre-season test, with team mate Dahlgren making it 1-1 between the two by being fastest during the second day.
”The feeling is great after the test days at Knutstorp. The STCC looks strong this year and it is not going to be an easy season. The team claimed the best possible result last year and my own expectations in terms of results are as high as possible, I am here to deliver,” said Dahlgren.
Regular driver Prince Carl Philip will miss the first race of the season due to the 70th birthday of his father King Carl XVI Gustaf, as well as having become a father himself in the past week.
McLaughlin from New Zealand substitutes for him this weekend, with the 22-year-old most recently claiming a double V8 Supercars victory for Volvo in Australia two weeks ago.
”I am really happy to get this opportunity and I will of course make the most out of it. It is not going to be easy with just two 30 minute test sessions before qualifying in a completely new car for me. But I welcome the challenge and if we could come away with a podium this weekend, that would be great,” said McLaughlin.
2016 marks the 20th STCC season for Polestar Cyan Racing which has resulted in six drivers’ titles and seven teams’ titles.
”We have had 19 incredible STCC seasons and most importantly setting a new record of three consecutive drivers and teams titles. This makes the challenge even harder this year with a tougher field as our ambition remains the same, a double title. But we have full confidence in our team and drivers and their abilities to face the challenge of the 2016 STCC,” said Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin, Head of Motorsport at Polestar.
The season opener in Skövde starts on Saturday with testing and qualifying, followed by two races on Sunday of 20 minutes each.
Watch the races live on SVT Play and follow the team with inside commentary during the race weekend in our Twitter channel: www.twitter.com/cyanracing
STCC Skövde Airport Race
Circuit: Skövde
Length: 2146 m
Lap record (STCC): 0:50.073, Björk
Schedule
(Times in CET)
Saturday 30/4
11:35 Test 1 (30 min)
14:35 Test 2 (30 min)
17:00 Qualifying Q1 (15 min)
17:20 Qualifying Q2 (20 min)
Sunday 1/5
12:40 Race 1 (20 min)
15:50 Race 2 (20 min)
TV Schedule
Sweden: SVT2 – 18:00 2/5
Live online: http://bit.ly/1XUFq0h
2016 Scandinavian Touring Car Championship Entry List
Driver – Team – Car
Robert Dahlgren – Polestar Cyan Racing – Volvo S60
Richard Göransson – Polestar Cyan Racing – Volvo S60
Carl Philip Bernadotte – Polestar Cyan Racing – Volvo S60
Scott McLaughlin – Polestar Cyan Racing – Volvo S60
Johan Kristoffersson – PWR Racing – SEAT León
Emma Kimiläinen – PWR Racing – SEAT León
Daniel Haglöf – PWR Racing – SEAT León
Björn Wirdheim – Flash Engineering – Saab 9-3
Reuben Kressner – Flash Engineering – Saab 9-3
Linus Ohlsson – Flash Engineering – Saab 9-3
Mattias Andersson – Dacia Dealer Team – Dacia SE
Rasmus Mårthen – Brovallen Design – Ford Mondeo
Scandinavian Touring Car Championship 2016 Calendar
31-1/5 Skövde Airport Race
25/5 Mantorp Park
18-19/6 Anderstorp
09-10/7 Falkenberg
13-14/8 Karlskoga
02-03/9 Solvalla
23-24/9 Knutstorp
Drivers
Robert Dahlgren
Lives: Skellefteå, Sweden
Age: 36
Private car: Volvo XC60
Merits:
2013 – STCC – 3rd
2010 – STCC – 2nd
2010 – STC Cup – Champion
2007 – STCC – 2nd
2004 – STCC – 2nd
2001 – Formula Ford UK – Champion
2000 – Formula Ford Europe – 2nd
1998 – Formula Ford Nordic – Champion
1997 – Formula Ford Sweden Junior – 3rd
Richard Göransson
Lives: Örebro, Sweden
Age: 37
Private car: Volvo V60 Polestar
Merits:
2014 – Swedish GT – GTA Champion
2013 – STCC – 2nd
2013 – Nürburgring 24 Hours – 2nd
2010 – STCC – Champion
2008 – STCC – Champion
2008 – ETC Cup – 3rd
2007 – STCC – 3rd
2007 – Nürburgring 24 Hours – SP6 Class Winner
2006 – STCC – 2nd
2005 – STCC – Champion
2004 – STCC – Champion
2002 – Formula Ford Festival UK – 2nd
2001 – European Formula Ford – Champion
1997 – Formula Ford 1600 Nordic – 2nd
1996 – Formula Ford Junior Sweden – Champion
1996 – Formula Ford SSK Sweden – Champion
Scott McLaughlin
Lives: Melbourne, Australia
Age: 22
Private car: Volvo XC60
Merits:
2016 – Bathurst 12 Hour Class B – 1st
2014 – V8 Supercars – 5th
2012 – Dunlop V8 Supercar Series – Champion
2012 – V8 SuperTourers New Zealand Endurance Championship – Champion
2012 – V8 SuperTourers New Zealand Championship – Champion
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