Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky fastest in Karlskoga warm up session

PWR Racing’s Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky topped the time sheets in the ten-minute morning warm up session at the Gelleråsen Arena in her Cupra TCR, leading rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson and three-time STCC champion Fredrik Ekblom’s Volkswagens.

Reigning champion Robert Dahlgren was the first driver under 1:08 at a slightly damp track, before Johan Kristoffersson found more time in his KMS Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR to go fastest.

In the final moments, Åhlin-Kottulinsky then went fastest before she was briefly pipped by Fredrik Ekblom’s Golf, but she hit back on her last lap to set a time of 1:07.066, nearly two-tenths clear of Kristoffersson, who made a late improvement to go second.

The 25-year-old is set to start this afternoon’s second race from pole position on the reversed grid, the first time a female driver has started an STCC race from pole position.

Micke Ohlsson was the best-placed of the Audi drivers in fifth in his Brink Motorsport entry, while the lone Honda of Mattias Andersson just missed the top ten with the 11th fastest time.

Race 1 is scheduled for 12:50 CEST with Philip Morin starting from pole position.