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Dahlgren gets WTCC return in Polestar Volvo

The Swede, 36, will replace Fredrik Ekblom

By Franck Drui

23 June 2016 - 09:34

Robert Dahlgren will return to the FIA World Touring Car Championship in a Volvo S60 Polestar TC1, starting from this week’s WTCC Race of Portugal in Vila Real.

The Swede, 36, will replace Fredrik Ekblom in the Polestar Cyan Racing line-up alongside Thed Björk with Ekblom focusing instead on the team’s ongoing development programme, which will run in tandem with its participation in the WTCC.

Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin, Head of Motorsport at Polestar, explained the move: “Our main objective with the WTCC project this year is to prepare for 2017, using two cars and three drivers. As a part of this plan, Robert will switch with Fredrik and join Thed for the part that is done during the race weekends. Needless to say our plan and three drivers have all delivered beyond expectations so far, delivering several top five finishes this early in our first season. We are confident it works and we are continuing with the next phase in our plan.”

Dahlgren, whose association with Volvo dates back to 2004, has represented the Swedish make in the WTCC and Aussie V8 Supercar series in the past. He currently drives for Polestar Cyan Racing in the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship and played a key role in early testing of the Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 World Touring Car.

“I am honoured to get this opportunity and the feeling is of course awesome, especially as I have been a part of this programme since the start with our evaluation season in 2011, as well as the development of the new car this year,” said Dahlgren, who will continue his STCC campaign alongside his WTCC bid.

Björk, meanwhile, welcomed Dahlgren’s inclusion in Polestar’s WTCC attack. “I am very glad to have Robert as team-mate again and to keep my cooperation with Fredrik in the development work in-between the races,” he said. “The Vila Real races is something I am absolutely looking forward to, it seems to be such a challenging circuit and I absolutely love street circuits.”

WTCC Race of Portugal takes place from 24-26 June.