Photo: STCC

Mantorp Park hosts close four-way STCC title fight

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Mantorp Park hosts the STCC season finale for the 21st time this weekend, with a close four-way title fight headlining the action following a controversial penultimate round which saw a clash between team-mates and title rivals Tobias Brink and Jimmy Eriksson.

The three Tesla drivers Brink, Eriksson and Mikael Karlsson of Brink Motorsport have dominated the season so far and it’s only reigning champion Robert Dahlgren who is within reach of the title fight outside of their team.

Brink heads the standings on 156 points, 12 more than Karlsson, 17 more than Eriksson and 38 more than Dahlgren with 60 points left to fight for.

Brink and Eriksson are alone in having claimed three wins so far this season, but Brink has been far more consistent while Eriksson is alone in having two retirements of the title contenders.

While Brink and Eriksson’s title fight culminated in the Race 3 crash at Knutstorp, Karlsson has quietly emerged into the title fight after a strong weekend at Knutstorp with his first electrified STCC win in Race 3.

Dahlgren has found himself in the unusual situation of being the dark horse of the title fight, having dominated the past two seasons.

The Cupra team has struggled to match the pace of Brink Motorsport, except for the Gothenburg season opener which used the Head 2 Head format on the streets of Gothenburg where Dahlgren scored his so far only win of 2024.

The STCC field will use the short Mantorp Park layout this weekend for the first time since 2016, featuring a 1.95 kilometre layout compared to the regular 3.13 kilometre layout.

Two qualifying sessions will be held on Friday, both awarding five points for pole, determining the grid for the two races on Saturday which both awards 25 points to the winner.

Brink chases his first STCC title, having finished second and third overall four times since his debut in 2017, while both Eriksson and Karlsson chases their first.

Dahlgren meanwhile would equal Richard Göransson’s record of five STCC titles, should he claim the 2024 title.

Mantorp Park schedule

Friday 20/9
09:45 – Test 1
13:40 – Test 2
17:10 – Qualifying

Saturday 21/9
10:30 – Race 1
14:30 – Race 2