Johan Kristoffersson excluded from Karlskoga for technical infringement

SEAT Dealer Team PWR Racing driver Johan Kristoffersson has been excluded from the two Scandinavian Touring Car Championship races at Karlskoga following a post-race inspection, where it was found that the seals on the dampers of his SEAT Léon were broken.

“Our technician checked the dampers on a number of cars after the race,” said Johnny Haraldsson, Deputy clerk of the Course to TouringCarTimes. “The seals on Kristoffersson’s car were broken and the dampers were sent to Solution-F for a further analysis.”

Kristoffersson qualified on pole at Karlskoga and retired from the first race after losing a wheel, and finished eighth in the second race after a late-race puncture.

His points from the Q1 qualifying session have however not been removed, despite him being disqualified from Q2, two sessions separated by just five minutes.

“It would not be legally sustainable to disqualify him from Q1. It is perhaps not likely for the team to be able to change dampers between the session, but not impossible,” said Haraldsson.

The results from the analysis of Kristoffersson’s dampers by Solution-F found no illegality, according to STCC AB.

“The report I have received from Solution-F states that the dampers are according to the specification as when delivered. But the regulations clearly state that the seals are not to be broken, hence why he has been disqualified,” said Haraldsson.

The exclusion drops Kristoffersson from third to joint-fifth in the championship with team-mate Daniel Haglöf.

SEAT Dealer Team Racing has been contacted by TouringCarTImes for a comment on the issue, more to follow.