Néstor Girolami taking it easy on his WTCC debut with Polestar

Néstor Girolami makes his WTCC return this weekend with Polestar Cyan Racing, driving the #81 Volvo S60 in Motegi and has set himself realistic targets after 14 months away from the wheel in the championship.

Girolami, who went on to win a tightly contested Argentinian Super TC 2000 Championship last year before switching to the Stock Car Brasil series for this year, will take over from Robert Dahlgren, who is racing at home in Sweden this weekend.

“I have to try to do my best, improve and learn through free practice up to qualifying,” said Girolami to TouringCarTimes.

“It’s the first time for me at this track and only my second time in this car, so the first goal for me is to improve and develop the car, but it’s not so easy to improve on a track which I don’t know; but I’ve been on the simulator and watched some onboard cameras and I like the track. We are focussed on constant progress, not in how fast we can go.”

The Volvo is the third different WTCC car he has driven after testing the Lada Vesta WTCC at the Hungaroring last year, before his championship debut came with Nika Racing in Slovakia in the Honda Civic WTCC, which he drove again at Vila Real in July 2015.

“I hope this is the last ‘test’ and step, as I’d like to start racing with Volvo,” he added. “But I’m focussing on this weekend and not thinking about next year, as I have this opportunity and want to focus on it.”