Mattias Andersson fastest in first TCR Scandinavia test

Mattias Andersson was fastest in the morning test of the first official TCR Scandinavia series pre-season test at Knutstorp in the south of Sweden.

“A really good start. We had a small advantage as we were here testing yesterday, on the other hand I was only using two new tyres in this session,” said Andersson.

“You never know what the others are doing, but we are driving with what we think is the right setup for the season start and we feel pleased so far.”

The Honda Racing Sweden driver lapped the short circuit in 1:00.193 seconds with his Honda Civic TCR and was closely followed by the Brink Motorsport team-mates Tobias Brink, 0.051 seconds behind, and Hannes Morin, 0.198 seconds behind.

A total of 12 cars took part in the test and this is the number likely for the final entry list for the 2019 season.

STCC veteran Tomas Enström was fourth fastest for Micke Kågered Racing, 0.279 seconds from the top spot, and headed his team-mate Andreas Ahlberg, a further three tenths behind.

Volkswagen driver Albin Wärnelöv was sixth fastest for Experion Racing Team, with newly signed Brink Motorsport driver Andreas Wernersson in seventh position, close to seven tenths of a second from Andersson’s top time.

2017 STCC champion Robert Dahlgren was fastest of the Cupra drivers for PWR Racing in eighth position, just eight thousands of a second behind Wernersson.

Brovallen Design team owner Tobias Johansson stepped in behind the wheel of one of the team’s Audi RS 3 LMS race cars and recorded the ninth fastest time of the session ahead of Peter “Poker” Wallenberg Jr, claiming tenth spot and was the final driver within one second of the top time.

Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky was eleventh fastest for PWR Racing, 1.230 seconds behind, and Danish racer Louise Frost of Insight Racing was 12th and last, 4.6 seconds from Andersson, in her Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR.

The TCR Scandinavia test at Knutstorp continues during the afternoon.