Dahlgren penalized after Sturup crash

Robert Dahlgren has been penalized after the incident with Mattias Andersson during the closing stages of the Swedish Touring Car Championship race at Sturup Raceway.
“Dahlgren caused a situation that he could have avoided. Both drivers had to retire. This time Andersson is the victim, Dahlgren turns in to him in a way that is not allowed,” said Race Director Johnny Haraldsson.

Dahlgren will be moved down 10 places during the next qualifying as a penalty plus that he has been issued a yellow card.
“That means that he is under observation from the stewards. If he gets another yellow card he risks being moved down again on the grid,” said Haraldsson.

The incident took place only five laps from the end. Andersson had stormed through the field and was right on the back bumper of Dahlgren’s Volvo C30, fighting for second place.

Andersson managed to get up and almost past on the inside at the exit of the hairpin. But Dahlgren smashed in to the rear of Andersson, sending the Alfa Romeo-driver in to the barriers.
“I was faster than Dahlgren, he was incredibly slow in the twisty parts and when he got out of line I tried to get past. To my understanding I was past him to 80-90% when I feel that the car starts to slide in to the barriers,” said Andersson after the race.

Andersson is running his Alfa Romeo 156 privately and the budget gets stretched even tighter because of this.
“This is the worst crash I have suffered while driving Alfa Romeo. It is a hard economical hit and we lost valuable points,” said Andersson.

Dahlgren added another DNF to his record and the Volvo-man was not happy with the incident.
“Andersson was faster. I did not want to make it easy for him to get past, but I left the door open and got in to the outside line where there is a tyre barrier. I had two choices to make in a split second, either to brake or turn. I made the wrong decision,” said Dahlgren.
“I am angry, sad for Mattias and very disappointed in myself.”