Team Volvo Polestar claimed a comfortable win over Team Honda in the Manufacturers Against the Clock team time trial on the spectacular Vila Real street track this afternoon, venue of Portugal’s FIA World Touring Car Championship counter.
The trio of Volvo S60 Polestar racers, consisting of Thed Björk, Nicky Catsburg and Néstor Girolami, were set a target of 4m09.347s by the three Honda Civics after their two-lap assault on the 4.785-kilometre circuit. Norbert Michelisz had led Ryo Michigami and local hero Tiago Monteiro, the latter struggling to hang on thanks to a suspected broken damper.
However, the third of the Volvos, driven by Catsburg, also appeared to be in trouble during the team’s run with the Dutchman suggesting the problem at the front of his car that had thwarted his WTCC qualifying attack was still troubling him. But in the end the Volvo Polestar line-up set a two-lap time of 4m05.355s to beat Honda by 3.992s and stretch Volvo Polestar’s advantage in the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Manufacturers to 42 points.
“It’s fantastic to come here with a fantastic audience in a fantastic town and we are very happy with the result and for claiming 12 points for the championship after a tough and eventful qualifying,” said Alexander Murdzevski Shedvin, Head of Motorsport at Polestar.
Polestar Cyan Racing driver Néstor Girolami added: “We scored an important result for the Manufacturers’ championship with our WTCC MAC3 win.”