Mikael Karlsson wins to claim points lead as Tobias Brink crashes on lap one
Mikael Karlsson won the first STCC race of the season finale weekend at Mantorp Park while disaster struck former points leader and pole sitter Tobias Brink on the first lap.
Brink and Karlsson went side-by-side through the first couple of corners, with Karlsson managing to snatch the lead with some contact into Turn 2. This also allowed Axel Bengtsson to sneak past into second place.
And things went from bad to worse for Brink who was tapped from behind by BMW driver Calle Bergman, sending the Tesla driver in a violent spin into the barriers at Turn 3.
Brink was unhurt from the incident but fuming, having to crawl out of the passenger side of his stricken Tesla Model 3.
The field stopped behind the safety car and Karlsson maintained his lead as the field was released again when Brink’s car had been cleared.
While Karlsson and Cupra driver Bengtsson controlled their race in first and second place, outgoing champion Robert Dahlgren soon found himself under fire from title contender and Brink Motorsport driver Jimmy Eriksson.
Eriksson set the fastest lap of the race and managed to squeeze past Dahlgren into Turn 3 a couple of laps after the restart to claim third place.
Karlsson won the race just eight tenths ahead of Bengtsson while Eriksson completed the podium.
Dahlgren finished fourth and lost his slim shot at the 2024 title.
BMW driver Bergman crossed the line in fifth ahead of the Volkswagen duo of Viktor Gustavsson and Alexander Graff.
Karlsson has emerged in the lead, heading Brink by nine points and Eriksson by 14 points with 25 points left to fight for in the final race which starts at 14:30 CEST.
