Team Volvo Polestar made it a first Manufacturers Against the Clock to remember by clinching the honours in the Tour de France-inspired team trial on the challenging streets of Marrakech to claim 12 points in its pursuit of the prestigious FIA World Touring Car Championship for Manufacturers.
Taking part in WTCC MAC3 for the first time, the Swedish squad, competing under the Polestar Cyan Racing banner, set a 2m51.926s for rival make Team Honda to beat. But when Honda’s trio of Norbert Michelisz, Ryo Michigami and Tiago Monteiro could only manage a 2m52.675s, honours went to Volvo Polestar’s line-up of Thed Björk, Nicky Catsburg and Néstor Girolami.
With Girolami and Catsburg also scoring six points for Polestar Cyan Racing with their efforts in qualifying, Volvo’s performance arm now tops the WTCC makes’ standings by two points over Honda heading into tomorrow’s two races at WTCC AFRIQUIA Race of Morocco.
“We’re extremely happy and we’ve just calculated that is the first time we lead a world championship as a brand and we will savour the day fully,” said Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin, Polestar’s Head of Motorsport.
“We have 20 tough races to go but this is the here and now and we’re very happy. The team performed impeccably. The car to beat at this track of course is Honda and we were 0.239s off in qualifying but we managed to outgun them in WTCC MAC3. So just a super-good feedback to everybody in the team who have been working day and night since the Qatar race. We’re really happy right now.”