Engström disappointed with STCC announcement
Honda Racing Sweden driver Tomas Engström is disappointed in the latest development on the STCC’s future, with the championship confirming the switch to TTA’s Solution-F formula for 2013 yesterday.
Engström was the leading driver in 2012 to run with the STCC’s chosen NGTC technology, running with a Super 2000-spec Honda Civic from Team Dynamics in the UK with a 2.0 litre NGTC turbocharged engine. Speaking to TouringCarTimes recently, Engström confirmed he was hoping to confirm their 2013 programme soon, which was between a full NGTC Civic from Team Dynamics, or a JAS Motorsport-built WTCC-specification Honda Civic.
With yesterday’s announcement, Engström feels he has been left out in the cold by the Championship.
“I am extremely disappointed in the way STCC has handled this,” said Engström to dt.se. “It is news to me too and that is what disappoints me. During these discussions, we haven’t heard a word from the STCC.”
“We have invested several millions in the belief that the regulations would stay the same for five years. That was the promise that we had from STCC.”
“I will most likely be on the grid next year, but today I don’t think that will be in the STCC. We could perhaps do the WTCC instead. It is too soon to say anything really, I haven’t had the time to speak with my partners and Honda.”
Engström believes the championship should have found another solution which would have allowed the teams like Engström’s, Nika Racing and KMS to compete with their current cars and equipment.
“The best solution would have been if both classes had raced on the same weekend. Then the manufacturers would have been interested and we would have got back the so-called star drivers to the championship,” he said.
