Björk hails Ehrlacher after qualifying run: “I felt the same in 2017”

2017 world touring car champion Thed Björk believes Cyan Racing team-mate Yann Ehrlacher has now proven worthy of winning this year’s WTCR title, after delivering in the high-pressure environment of qualifying for the season-finale at Aragón.

Ehrlacher leads the standings heading into the final round of the shortened 2020 campaign, and overcame the first major hurdle en route to a potential first world title by qualifying second to Cyan Racing team-mate Santiago Urrutia on Saturday.

With main championship rival Esteban Guerrieri struggling in the lower midfield, Ehrlacher is in a golden seat for Sunday’s trio of races, starting all three clearly ahead of his opponent.

Björk (who qualified fourth on Saturday) says Ehrlacher’s performance brought back emotions from his own championship success in 2017, when he clinched the WTCC title in a tense finale in Qatar.

“It feels so good that we could deliver,” said Björk. “The goal was to get all the cars into Q2, possibly into Q3, but we got three cars in and Yvan in P10. So, I’m very happy.

“The feeling I got after my lap in Q3, when I knew than Yann was [right up there]… I felt the same when I was going to be champion in 2017. To manage to do this, in the qualifying, like Yann did – then you have the speed to be the champion. And that’s what makes me really happy for the team.”