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Calfat STCC test day three

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The third and final test day at Calafat in Spain is over (except for KMS Audi). The trailers are packed up and are heading for Sweden. West Coast Racing-returnee Fredrik Ekblom was pleased with the test days.
“It is great to be back with WCR again and our test programme has progressed nicely. The car is great fun to drive,” Ekblom said.

As previously reported no official time keeping was held. But we conducted a very unofficial timing session during the final day. Volvo-driver Dahlgren was fastest, the two West Coast Racing-drivers behind him, closely followed by the two Flash Engineering drivers Göransson and Nilsson. Audi started to close on the others but were late out to the track on their first test day.

“There are many new components for us. We have started on brakes and dampers today. It is impossible to know how we stand compared to the others, the times are quite uninteresting. It is first at the season premiere we know where we stand. For all we know BMW might just be sandbagging now,” reigning champion and Audi-driver Thed Björk said.

STCC newcomer Frank Stippler was present on the track but only made a few laps before his steering broke.
“It is a completely new car for me. It was eleven years ago since I last drove a FWD car and it is very different from DTM,” Stippler said.

Volvo-driver Robert Dahlgren is not new to FWD-cars.
“It has been three successful days. I am pleased with the car, there is a lot to do but we are right on schedule,” Dahlgren said.

BMW team Flash Engineering were buisy in the pits today. The sequential gearbox malfunctioned during the start of the session. But after hard work from the team previous double STCC champion was able to get back on track.
“Yes, we had some problems with the gearbox, but that was solved quite quickly. It feels awesome to be back behind the wheel. We have followed our three day test programme closely and I am very pleased,” Göransson said.

Next test day for the STCC teams is on Swedish soil, namely the new track for this season where the premiere will be held – Sturup.