How a high low boosted Volvo Polestar’s challenge

Polestar’s motorsport boss Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin has revealed how his FIA World Touring Car Championship factory Volvo squad hit back from a tough Marrakech weekend to exceed expectations by winning in its first season in the WTCC.

Thed Björk and Fredrik Ekblom both struggled for form at WTCC Race of Morocco back in May, which Murdzevski Schedvin described as the team’s lowest moment of 2016.

However, by the penultimate event of the season in China, Björk was celebrating his, Volvo and Polestar Cyan Racing’s maiden WTCC victory following his dramatic Opening Race triumph in Shanghai.

In an interview with Motorsport-Total.com, the Polestar boss said: “We were suffering more than we expected in wet weather and the longest flight of my life was flying home from Morocco when we were even lapped. We know that can happen when you don’t get your settings right but we felt a bit embarrassed.

“Shanghai was the pay-back. Not many manufacturers have entered into a mature championship and won in the first year so I think the team should be really proud.”

Polestar Cyan Racing’s 2017 WTCC attack will boast three Volvo S60 Polestar TC1s.