Lynk & Co drivers “not concerned” about new cars

Reigning world champion Yann Ehrlacher – and fellow Cyan Racing drivers Yvan Muller, Thed Björk and Santiago Urrutia – say they feel confident ahead of the 2021 WTCR season opener the Nürburgring, despite the new challengers entered by their competitors this year.

Audi will compete with the second generation of the RS 3 LMS, with Hyundai bringing the new Elantra N TCR into the series. Cupra’s Leon Competición, which was new out-of-the-box a year ago, has been refined during the winter.

“It’s hard to gauge the pace,” Björk explained to TouringCarTimes. “Our car is tested and reliable, perhaps not as fast as others, but is well balanced.”

His team-mate at Cyan Performance Lynk & Co, Urrutia agreed.

“Nothing has changed, so the car is as fast as last year,” he said. “But we don’t think now about who has an advantage.

“Still, this weekend isn’t a reference because the Nürburgring is a special track, so perhaps we will see where we are in 2-3 weeks.

“There are many world champions, there is more competitiveness and new cars here in the WTCR, and everyone is on a very high level.”

Muller faces his 16th world touring car season as a four-time world champion and said it would be hard to make comparisons from the opening round.

“This weekend will be tough, as the car is already three years old,” he said. “But we cannot make comparisons this weekend because this is a special track, so we will see after Estoril.”

“Lynk & Co still hasn’t made a decision on whether to use a new model, it’s something that’s still in discussion.”

Ehrlacher had a more practical approach to the issue.

“As soon as there is a competition, a steering wheel and a car to drive, that’s all that matters,” he said.

“It’s a new feeling for me to start the new season as a champion,” Ehrlacher told TouringCarTimes. “But it didn’t change much in the way I prepare for the new season. To be honest, I don’t feel much different to the way I have started other seasons before.”