Volvo confirm talks with Erebus for 2015

Outgoing Volvo Car Australia Managing Director Matt Braid has confirmed that the manufacturer is talking with new teams ahead of the 2015 V8 Supercars season, Erebus Motorsport being one of them, and that a decision is expected for October.
“We have had a chat to multiple teams and Erebus is one,” said Braid to v8supercars.com.au.

Rumors of Volvo expanding to more cars than the current two, run by Garry Rogers Motorsport, has been ongoing for several months and Braid says the chances of seeing more next year is 50:50.

“Yes, we would love to see more cars on the grid but there is a long way to go in a very short time. There is only so much time to make those sorts of decisions. Realistically you are talking by the end of October. The Volvo Polestar racing program is locked down, two cars. We have had approaches from numerous teams… if we actually agreed to all those we would probably have another six cars on the grid. That’s not going to happen either,” said Braid.

Current Mercedes AMG team Erebus Motorsport completes a two-year customer sports deal with the German manufacturer this year, adding fuel to the speculation that they might switch to Swedish cars in 2015. But if Erebus, or another team, gets to run Volvos next year it is likely not going to be as an official manufacturer team.

”If we went forward with a team or teams there would be a factory link there, but maybe not to the degree of what we are seeing with Volvo Polestar Racing. But certainly it is in our interest to hep whatever team we look at and if possible to do the best they can. We would not do it on the basis of ‘here’s our logo go for it’, it would be making sure we work together quite strongly to achieve what we need to achieve. And that’s a part of the consideration for this whole decision on next year – whose interested, what resources have they got, what can we provide and is it possible,” said Braid.

Another subject for Volvo ahead of next year is the progress of Robert Dahlgren in the second Volvo S60. The Swede has struggled in his debut V8 Supercars season so far and is currently last in the drivers’ championship with 16th as best race result and two top-ten qualifying results, but Braid is not writing him off for 2015.

“Robert has done a better job this year than people give him credit for. He has struggled a bit in the races in the biff and barge, but he has been the new kid on the block and the local street gangs have taken it upon themselves (to rough him up). But he has got good speed and he has done a great job linking us with (engine builder) Polestar and the advantages we have been able to pull out of that. But he has to perform, he still has time, all we can do is support him and wish him the best, but like everybody results count,” said Braid.

Braid is going to be replaced by Kevin McCann who has worked with Audi and Volkswagen previously.