Volkswagen ready for hard fight with Chevrolet

Volkswagen driver Fredrik Ekblom remains in the championship lead after the STCC races at Knutstorp. But the points gap to title rival and Chevrolet driver Rickard Rydell has been reduced to just two points ahead of the finale.
“I lost a bit of my advantage here, but I will be back in the finale. What happened in the second race has given me new energy,” said Ekblom.

Ekblom was hindered by third Chevrolet driver Michel Nykjær in the start of the second race, tactics the Volkswagen team are ready to respond to in the final two heats of the season.

“We want a honest fight for the championship, but we are not backing down if we are going to be met in this way. Nykjær did a real ‘pig maneuver’,” said team boss Tommy Kristoffersson.

Ekblom finished second in the first race while Rydell won, the second race saw Rydell again ahead of Ekblom.

“I had a newly added Chevrolet driver ahead of me in the start who kept the speed down so I had a terrible start. Rickard [Rydell] who was on the outside was just able to sail past and get to the inside. The penalty was right, he hindered the field so that Rickard would get a free passage to take my position,” said Ekblom.

Despite the controversy and reduced points gap, Ekblom is optimistic for the final races of the season at Mantorp Park in two weeks.

“We shall not forget that we are leading the championship with two points for the finale and that is what it is all about, to complete the season and get to the finale with the best possible conditions,” said Ekblom.