Thed Björk ranks WTCC win as one of the best of his career

Thed Björk showed Volvos free practice pace wasn’t a fluke after all, when the Polestar Cyan Racing driver turned around sixth on the grid in Race 1 to score not only Volvo’s first podium in the WTCC, but their first victory in their second full season of competition.

Björk made a good start and was defending against Citroën’s Yvan Muller in the early stages while he was offered a break on lap nine when the Citroën of Tom Chilton and the Lada of Gabriele Tarquini collided ahead of him while battling for ninth, promoting him to second and allowing him to close in on the ballast-laden Honda of Norbert Michelisz and steal victory with a last-lap pass.

“What a race and what a victory!” said Björk. “This is such an awesome feeling after all the blood, sweat and tears the team has put down this year. I rank this victory as one of the best in my entire career.

“I was much faster than Norbi who did a really good job defending. We made some contact but I was determined to get past and I made it work. The feeling to win the race after such an intense end to it is indescribable.”

Björk’s first WTCC win moves him clear of Lada’s Hugo Valente in the drivers’ championship and into a clear 11th, as the team will work during the next two month break with their test car ahead of the season finale to find more pace in the S60 TC1 for Qatar.

“This has been an amazing weekend with a fantastic race and a fantastic first victory for Thed, us and Volvo Cars,” said Polestar motorsport head Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin.

“We have had many guests and commercial activities connected to this race, so to be able to deliver a win here is of course special for us. This victory is also an important morale booster as we have a lot of work ahead of us to be frequent in the top of the championship next year and beyond.”