Fredrik Blomstedt – starting second “the key” to maiden victory

Fredrik Blomstedt believes his second-place grid slot was essential to him taking his maiden Scandinavian Touring Car Championship victory in the first race at Falkenberg.

Blomstedt qualified second behind his Kristoffersson Motorsport team-mate Fredrik Ekblom and started on the more grippy racing line, which enabled the 26 year-old to get jump as the lights went out.

The original start was interrupted by a red flag following a multi-car pile-up as a result of Andreas Ahlberg stalling his Volkswagen Golf GTI.

From the restart though, Blomstedt led the remainder of the timed race to head Johan Kristoffersson and Ekblom in a KMS clean-sweep.

Blomstedt was understandably elated with his first win in the series. “It feels amazing,” Blomstedt told TouringCarTimes. “I wasn’t expecting to win actually, it just sort of happened. I had a bit of a scare when I saw the last lap board because the nerves started to kick in and I lost a bit of pace.”

Blomstedt admitted he didn’t have things all his own way, as he held off Kristoffersson while trying to get enough heat into his tyres, something he has struggled with lately.

“I knew that Johan is very good at warming his tyres early in the race, and I normally struggle with that. But I managed to get enough heat to pull away a bit from him until the end,” Blomstedt said.

Blomstedt also feels he benefited from starting second on the grid, the same position he will start for race two.

He said: “I think it’s better to start on the left hand side of the grid which is the racing line. That was key in the first race. There’s a lot more grip so maybe I stand a chance in the second race.”