Robert Dahlgren surprised with Knutstorp penalty decision

Robert Dahlgren has said he doesn’t understand the reasoning behind his race penalty decision during Knutstorp Race 2, and says the decision cost him the win and with it the championship lead.

The 2017 STCC drivers’ champion worked his way up second in the first race behind his PWR Racing team-mate Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky, before his wet tyres began to fade in the dry conditions.

In Race 2, it was much the same, this time starting from third, he first held off Tobias Brink’s Audi RS 3 LMS into Turn 1, and then he passed Hannes Morin’s Audi at Turn 2 on lap nine, making contact as he did so.

The stewards then handed the 39-year-old a ten second penalty, after he’d already received two warnings for driving standards throughout the day, and from there chance of victory was over.

“I don’t know what I’ve done. Honestly, I don’t know what I’ve done,” said Dahlgren to TouringCarTimes.

“(At the end of the race) I didn’t want to start fighting with Wernersson, as they said I had a ten second penalty, and if I had fought with him that would have slowed us both down, which is why I dropped off. It was very unfortunate, as I think I had the pace to win the race.”

Despite finishing second and sixth in the two races, Dahlgren’s not downbeat, after he was fastest in “normal” conditions in practice and Qualifying 1, with only the mixed conditions catching many drivers out over the weekend.

“To be fifth in the championship was not the plan to say the least. We’re here to win the championship, and we have the speed.

“It was not a disaster weekend, but it was not good result. I don’t leave the weekend happy with the results, but I leave the weekend knowing that we are quick enough.”