Category: Robert Dahlgren

Strong V8 Supercars Debut for Volvo S60 Polestar

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Volvo Polestar Racing had as strong V8 Supercars debut weekend at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, Australia. Scott McLaughlin thrilled the crowds in all three races and proved that the pace is there for the very top with a podium finish.

”What an amazing weekend for Volvo Polestar Racing and GRM. Everyone has worked so hard for this and I am delighted with the podium finish,” said McLaughlin.

The 20-year-old started the weekend by qualifying a strong second on the grid for the second race. After a solid seventh in the first race, McLaughlin crossed the line in second position in the second race after an epic last-lap battle with reigning champion Jamie Whincup. Watch a video of the thrilling fight here.

McLaughlin started an impressive charge from tenth on the grid to the top in the third and final 76 lap race. The Kiwi had fought his way to third position as he was forced to retire due to a faulty battery with just eleven laps left.

”It was disappointing to retire from a podium position. But we showed strong form overall this weekend and I can’t wait for the next round,” said McLaughlin.

Robert Dahlgren had a baptism of fire in his first ever V8 Supercars weekend. The Swede finished 21st in the first race, 23rd in the second and retired due to a fractured oil tank in the third race. Dahlgren was nonetheless enthusiastic as the dust settled from the race weekend.

”As a racing driver, the results from this weekend is a disappointment. I won’t be pleased until I am in the top. With this being a completely new championship, new tracks and a new car for me, it will take time. But I have made a lot of progress from this weekend that we can build on and I am so much longing for the next race,” said Dahlgren.

Two top ten finishes, a podium and the speed to match the established top teams is the result for Volvo Polestar Racing after the V8 Supercars premiere in Adelaide.

”This is a race weekend everyone involved at Volvo, Polestar and GRM can be proud of. We had some issues, but that was to be expected of a debut weekend. There is still a lot of work left to be done, but we are looking forward to the coming races with confidence,” said Christian Dahl, owner of Polestar.

V8 Supercars continues in two weeks with the non-championship round at Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

Race 1 Results – Top 10

1 Jamie Whincup Holden Commodore 39 laps
2 Craig Lowndes Holden Commodore +2.777
3 Shane Van Gisbergen Holden Commodore +7.842
4 Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon +13.906
5 Fabian Coulthard Holden Commodore +19.237
6 Rick Kelly Nissan Altima +24.020
7 Scott McLaughlin Volvo S60 +24.462
8 Jason Bright Holden Commodore +24.749
9 James Courtney Holden Commodore +31.172
10 Scott Pye Ford Falcon +32.804

21 Robert Dahlgren Volvo S60 +1 lap

Race 2 Results – Top 10

1 Craig Lowndes Holden Commodore 39 laps
2 Scott McLaughlin Volvo S60 +4.7327
3 Jamie Whincup Holden Commodore +5.5509
4 Mark Winterbottom Ford Falcon +14.7951
5 Fabian Coulthard Holden Commodore +15.0202
6 Chaz Mostert Ford Falcon +15.3238
7 Garth Tander Holden Commodore +15.6715
8 Michael Caruso Nissan Altima +24.5559
9 Todd Kelly Nissan Altia +25.2735
10 Will Davison Mercedes E63 AMG +25.5190

23 Robert Dahlgren Volvo S60 +48.7873

Race 3 Results – Top 10

1 James Courtney Holden Commodore 76 laps
2 Craig Lowndes Holden Commodore +0.6658
3 Shane Van Gisbergen Holden Commodore +4.8574
4 Fabian Coulthard Holden Commodore +5.6576
5 Rick Kelly Nissan Altima +5.9071
6 Tim Slade Holden Commodore +6.7950
7 David Reynolds Ford Falcon +7.5678
8 David Wall Ford Falcon +8.5836
9 James Moffat Nissan Altima +10.7529
10 Dale Wood Holden Commodore +32.7045

Volvo continues to dominate the 2013 STCC race

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Thed Björk defied the spectacular crash in Friday’s test session and secured a superior victory for Volvo Polestar Racing in the STCC Östersund Airport Race. “I just pulled away, the car was perfect. There are not words enough for me to describe the team’s effort after the repair of the car last night,” said Björk.

The mechanics of the team worked through the night with repairs on Björk and Linus Ohlsson’s car as the both crashed after hitting oil on the track in the Friday test session. The result of the repairs could not have been better as Björk took pole position and won the race in style.

“I am in the best form of my life and things are really going our way now. But we are far from on the safe side yet, we have three race weekends and five heats left, a lot can happen still! I am longing to the next race on my home grounds in Karlskoga,” said Björk.

Robert Dahlgren crossed the line in a strong second place after a hard fight throughout the race. The Volvo Polestar Performance driver started third but was able to pass BMW driver Richard Göransson in to the first corner. Not long after that, a hard fight developed between the two. Göransson retook second, but was not able to resist Dahlgren’s attack as he had got the temperature up in his tyres.

“I hadn’t warmed the tyres enough ahead of the race and couldn’t fend off Göransson. But when I finally got the temperature up, the car was very fast. I gained on Björk in the lead and set the fastest lap of the race. I am for sure pleased with the weekend,” said Dahlgren.

Linus Ohlsson secured third after fighting hard to follow Dahlgren up through the field. The 22-year-old passed both Fredrik Larsson and Göransson to secure his second straight podium finish this year.

“It was nice to secure a new podium finish. The race was good fun to drive, I had to fight hard and the car was really fast,” said Ohlsson.

Fredrik Ekblom had a tough start where he dropped two positions. He had to fight hard after that to climb back up and crossed the line in fourth after having passed Göransson in the final stages of the race.

“With a troublesome qualifying session and a poor start, the chance of fighting for the lead disappears. That is the way it is, but the weekend has overall been good for my part and really good for the team,” said Ekblom.

Prince Carl Philip Bernadotte was on his way for a new points finish when he had to pit to repair a damaged door.
“It was a disappointment to be forced to pit, which made me lose one lap on the leaders. But we had a strong pace in the race and I know that I have the speed to fight for points,” said Prince Carl Philip Bernadotte.

Björk extended the lead of the drivers’ championship to 38 points over Göransson while Dahlgren closes in on Göransson for second, only nine points separates the two. Volvo heads the manufacturers’ championship in 301 points ahead of BMW on 194 points.

“This is a race we are going to remember for long, with such a strong effort by the team to turn around the difficult situation after the test with two crashed cars. Two cars that the day after are on top of the podium,” said Derek Crabb, Motorsport Director of Volvo Cars.

STCC continues in two weeks at Karlskoga Motorstadion.

Results – Östersund
1 Thed Björk Volvo S60 34 laps
2 Robert Dahlgren Volvo S60 +1.148
3 Linus Ohlsson Volvo S60 +2.978
4 Fredrik Ekblom Volvo S60 +4.411
5 Richard Göransson BMW SR +6.592
6 Jocke Mangs Citroën C5 +7.397
7 Daniel Haglöf Saab 9-3 +15.676
8 Roar Lindland Saab 9-3 +18.452
9 Alexander Graff Saab 9-3 +27.101
10 Fredrik Magnusson Citroën C5 +27.872
11 Carl Philip Bernadotte Volvo S60 +1 lap
12 Mattias Andersson Dacia SE DNF
13 Fredrik Larsson BMW SR DNF
14 Tomas Engström Honda Civic DNF

Drivers’ Championship
146 Thed Björk
108 Richard Göransson
99 Robert Dahlgren
80 Fredrik Ekblom
78 Linus Ohlsson
67 Fredrik Larsson
43 Daniel Haglöf
36 Jocke Mangs
31 Mattias Andersson
30 Robin Rudholm
10 Roar Lindland
8 Carl Philip Bernadotte
6 Alexander Graff
3 Niclas Olsson
3 Tomas Engström
1 Fredrik Magnusson

Manufacturers’ Championship
301 Volvo
194 BMW
105 Saab
83 Citroën
44 Dacia
11 Honda

Calendar STCC 2013
04/05 Knutstorp**
08/06 Solvalla*
29/06 Göteborg*
13/07 Falkenberg**
10/08 Östersund*
24/08 Karlskoga**
07/09 Tierp Arena*
21/09 Mantorp Park**