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GRM vow to continue running Volvos, but Cyan will reclaim the cars

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Garry Rogers Motorsport has vowed to continue racing with Volvo into 2017, stating Volvo’s performance arm Polestar’s announcement that they will discontinue support at the end of the season it really “Doesn’t effect what we do. Nothing changes from our end,” but Volvo’s racing division Cyan Racing have stated they will retake ownership of the team’s Volvo S60s and engines at the end of the season.

Polestar announced this morning that they will no longer continue on in the V8 Supercars Championship in 2017, bringing an end to a three year relationship with Garry Rogers Motorsport, coming off the back of the team’s most successful race weekend since 2014, with Scott McLaughlin taking two wins at Phillip Island.

The team however put out a statement saying “GRM to continue with Volvo,” following Polestar’s announcement.

“Polestar advised us at the start of this season that their involvement in V8 Supercars had ceased,” said GRM director Barry Rogers.

“If you look at the rear wing of our car; last year it said Volvo Polestar Racing, this year it says Volvo Cyan Racing. If you look at our trucks, last year it said Volvo Polestar Racing, this year we have Volvo Dealer Team on it.

“So the Polestar connection ceased, as far as GRM is concerned, at the start of the 2016 season.
“In day to day business, it really doesn’t effect what we do. Nothing changes from our end.”

However, there’s confusion following a statement from Polestar’s racing division Cyan Racing, which developed the engine for the championship, with the team confirming they’ll retake possession of both the cars and the engines at the conclusion of the season.

“We will continue our technical cooperation throughout the remainder of the 2016 season on the current three-year contract,” said Cyan Racing CEO Christian Dahl. “After all, Cyan Racing was involved from day one when the cooperation was created with Volvo Polestar, so it is a matter of both sporting competitiveness and commitment as well as business ethics to see this through.”

“However, Volvo Car Group’s performance brand Polestar is our assignor in motorsport, and decisions from this group set the precedent for our agenda,” he continued. “And this means that we will cease the activities with Garry Rogers Motorsport in V8 Supercars after 2016 and bring back our engines and race cars to Sweden after the season end.”