MA:GP Honda ready for race day after new engine installed

The MA:GP have successfully retrieved and installed a replacement engine in Mattias Andersson’s Honda Civic TCR, in time for the touring car veteran to take part from this afternoon’s warm up at Skellefteå.

Andersson’s engine failed during the first test on Friday, and therefore missed the remaining two practice sessions and qualifying, while his team travelled 1,000km south to collect the spare engine from their Linköping base.

The engine arrived back at the Fällfors circuit at 3:30am, with Andersson and the team working through the early hours to fit it in his Civic FK2 TCR.
“I think we’re ready; the engine started a little bit after 8am, and now we’re preparing for the warm up,” said Andersson to TouringCarTimes.

“It took about four and a half hours to install the engine. It wasn’t too easy, as when it arrived it was an empty engine with a lot of parts missing, but now it’s started and we will see.”

The engine is the team’s original engine, which the team had switched away from due to concerns with the power, which isn’t a great harbinger for the races.

“We changed from this engine as we weren’t happy with the speed, so it’s not ideal,” Andersson explained.

“So, the possible lack of speed, lack of track knowledge, and also starting eighth here isn’t ideal either. The goal is to be in the top five in the races and not lose too many points to the top guys.

“We’ll learn the circuit during the races and see if we can catch up a little bit. We’ve been allowed to have a few installation laps ahead of the warm up to check the car, and then we’ll see how competitive we are in the warm up.”