Rydell WTCC return put on hold

Honda Racing team Sweden’s planned return to FIA World Touring Car Championship duty this weekend has been postponed.

Nicklas Karlsson’s outfit had hoped to enter Rickard Rydell in a Honda Civic WTCC. However, with Rydell still recovering from illness, the Swedish squad won’t be in action in the MOL Group WTCC Race of Hungary.

A statement from the team read: “Having been diagnosed with thyroiditis last week, driver Rickard Rydell has not yet recovered sufficiently to get back to racing behind the wheel of his Honda Civic TC1. Although his condition has improved in recent days, Rydell’s doctors have advised the five-time WTCC race winner not to travel to Hungary and to instead convalesce back home in Sweden.”

The statement also confirmed no replacement driver is being sought to fill Rydell’s seat. “After assessing its options for the weekend ahead, Honda Racing team Sweden have decided not to field a replacement driver and will thus sit out the Budapest meeting. The team was previously forced out of the preceding round in Morocco, with Rydell falling ill in the build-up to the African event.

“Honda Racing team Sweden hopes to be back on the WTCC grid in time for round four of the season, scheduled in for the fearsome Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany.”