Driver voices on the new championship
The top ten drivers of the Swedish Touring Car Championship have expressed their opinions on the plans of the new Scandinavian Touring Car Championship on the official championship site.
Tommy Rustad, Polestar Racing
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“It is for sure a step in the right direction with right timing. This has been discussed for a long time and I think there are good conditions for it now. The plan that has been revealed feels sensible and properly thought through.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“There is going to be a bigger field in a couple of the races that are going to be very prestigious and the concept feels like a good start. The only thing I am disappointed in is that Våler (Norway) is not included in the calendar. But as far as I have understood, it is going to be back in 2011.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“We are going to get a strong north european championship that is going to get higher status internationally. A bigger field, more respect and a strengthened brand.”
Thed Björk, Flash Engineering
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“I think it is a very good and natural development for STCC to expand to a Scandinavian championship.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“The merger next year is going to be an interesting head start of 2011. It is going to be really nice to fight for the Scandinavian title with the Danish drivers. I am of course aiming to take both the STCC-title and the Cup-title.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“The Scandinavian Touring Car Championship has got the potential to become the best and most prestigious touring car championship. The championship is going to increase the competition and push forward the best teams.”
Robin Rudholm, WestCoast Racing
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“The thought and vision is really good in the long run. But in short term I think does not go hand in hand with the current economical situation as I think the whole motorsport suffer from the same problem when it comes to find sponsors.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“As said, I think the idea is a good idea in the long run, but for 2010 one should perhaps reduced the championship instead if you ask me. But I understand the way to start it slowly, even though I feel it is timed wrong.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“If you look at the number of top drivers in Scandinavia, it is going to be one hell of a good list of drivers. Just to join Sweden with Denmark is going to make this championship one of the toughest in Europe.”
Richard Göransson, WestCoast Racing
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“In the long run I think it is completely right. I have always thought that you should try and create a nordic platform as it is considered a big market for many companies.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“Everyone needs to wake up and see that we need to work across the borders and try to co-operate. This could be a good step to get the machinery going. But I think STCC is the toughest championship in Scandinavia, that we are going to run with DTC is perhaps not going to do a lot of difference.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“There are many good drivers and names outside the borders of Sweden and if you broaden the series, get good drivers in the series, the it is of course strengthen the way people look at STCC in the world.”
Mattias Andersson, MA:GP
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“I think it is good, but we need to keep the majority of the races in Sweden to be able to maintain sponsors and fans at least on the level that we have got today.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“It is going to be fun to compare forces against another good championship and the four races we run together are going to be very tough and good for the spectators.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“It is going to be the toughest national championship with these rules (S2000).”
Jan “Flash” Nilsson, Flash Engineering
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“This could be the thing that get Scandinavian racing to take off.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“I think it is right on time to fusion with others and grow bigger.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“The amount of cars is not the same thing as getting better, I do not think that we in the long run are going to get an increase of competitors. But I think the standard though the field of about 18 cars is going to be of a very high class.”
Robert Dahlgren, Polestar Racing
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“It is a very good way to go because of the fact that STCC has not reached its full potential.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“DTC has got a lot of goo drivers and teams that I know we want to beat in the STCC.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“STCC is a stronger championship internationally that one might think. It would be nice if the series gets the place on the international arena that it deserves.”
Tomas Engström, Engström Motorsport
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“It is of course a good ambition to all the time try and develop the championship and in that way get companies/partners to see the potential to be visible in Scandinavia. The only thing I am worried about is that we are going to lose the small teams that simply cannot afford to drive and that the field is not going to be big enough to attract media/spectators in the other Scandinavian countries. We have the tradition in Sweden, so the interest is here.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“It is of course positive with a merger between the both series in a Scandinavian championship that in the future can result in the championship including all Scandinavian countries. It is good to start with a merger between Denmark and Sweden to see if there is any interest.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“STCC is today holding a very high international standard and the merger with DTC is going to raise both the level of drivers and material.”
Johan Stureson, IPS Motorsport
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“It is a big step that is going to require a lot of work to get four nationalities to co-operate. It is more interesting to drive on a lot of different tracks than as it is today coming back to the same track during the season. Each track is going to be able to focus more on their race and that is positive. As team it is going to be a challenge where it is important that the partners get out as much as possible despite the fact that you are not always on home ground.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“As I am from Skåne (south of Sweden, close do Denmark) you are part Danish already, so to compete with DTC is natural. DTC is a good championship with good teams, drivers and material. It is going to be tough. Everyone is going to develop and it is for sure going to be a fight for each position in the field.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“Scandinavia, and in front of all Finland, Denmark and Sweden, has always produced racing drivers of world class. If a Scandinavian championship attracts the best drivers from the different countries, it is going to be one of the best touring car championships in the world.”
Roger Eriksson, Nordic Fine Art
1 – What do you think about the ambition to turn STCC in to a Scandinavian championship?
“I think this is going to give motorsport in Sweden a small push forward and a step forward in the development. With more competitors, tracks and different nationalities, it promises for interesting races.”
2 – What do you think about the merger with DTC in 2010?
“I think it is good with a soft start with four races to see how it works. But my first concern is, how are all cars going to fit in the Gothenburg City Race Arena.”
3 – How competitive is a Scandinavian Touring Car Championship going to be in an international perspective?
“With the drivers and teams from Sweden and Denmark in mind, the top is for sure going to belong in the top of WTCC.”
