Volvo understood to be readying a TCR car for 2018

2017 WTCC drivers’ and manufacturer champions Volvo are understood to be starting development a TCR-specification car, although it won’t be ready for the start of the 2018 WTCR season.

Discussions in the paddock last week in Qatar at the WTCC finale confirmed that Volvo are already working on a TCR specification car, which would allow them to return to their home championship, the STCC, as well as race in the new WTCR series, as both run to TCR regulations.

“The TCR regulations are great and the switch to it with WTCR is a good decision,” said head of Polestar Motorsport Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin. “This opens many doors for us moving forward, but it does also of course mean that we must plan a good way to move forward strategically. That is why we cannot comment specifics today other than we are looking forward to be back on track with the team further on. We will release more information during Q1 2018.”

The Swedish marque has long been suspected of being working on a TCR car behind the scenes, but it’s now become clear that their priority has been on continued development of the Volvo S60 TC1 as they fought for the championship title, which they successfully won last week at Losail.

Although manufacturer entries are not permitted in the new WTCR series, there’s nothing to prevent the manufacturer from running cars under the Cyan Racing banner, as Christian Dahl’s race team is an independent programme, and isn’t owned by Volvo or its Polestar performance division, after it was spun-off from Polestar two years ago.

The new Polestar Volvo TCR wouldn’t be expected to race until the end of 2018 at the earliest. It’s anticipated that Volvo factory driver and 2017 champion Thed Björk and four-time champion Yvan Muller would be the top candidates to lead the car’s development programme.