Lestrup Racing Team and Rob Huff part company

Lestrup Racing Team and Rob Huff have announced a joint decision to part company ahead of the 2021 STCC TCR Scandinavia season.

The Brit joined the team ahead of last year and enjoyed a successful debut season in the series, claiming the drivers’ title with two wins and nine podium finishes, as well as securing the teams’ title alongside team-mate Oliver Söderström.

For 2021 Huff will race for Cupra and Zengo Motorsport in the FIA World Touring Car Cup, a season that clashes twice with the STCC.

“We had a great 2020 season with Rob, securing our first two STCC titles together,” said Fredrik Lestrup, co-owner of Lestrup Racing Team.

“His contribution to the team has been great and we are sad to part ways with him for 2021. We do however understand him wanting to try and become world champion again in the WTCR with Cupra. We wish him the best of luck this season and hope that new opportunities to cooperate again will come in the future.”

Reigning STCC champion Rob Huff added: “I had an awesome season with Lestrup Racing Team last year that really re-sparked my love and passion for motorsport. I want to extend a big thank you to Fredrik and everyone in the team for last year, and that we have been able to find a solution that suits us all for 2021. I wish them the very best for the coming season and I’m sure they can find their way to the top step again.”

Lestrup Racing Team will field three Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR race cars in the 2021 STCC TCR Scandinavia season opener for drivers Oliver Söderström, Mikael Karlsson and Robin Knutsson.

“With just two weeks left until the season start, we have decided to focus all of our efforts on our three cars for the first race weekend,” said Fredrik Lestrup.

“We are working on a solution for our fourth car for the remaining races and further information will be released in due course. Regardless of what happens with that car, we remain confident that – just like last year – we will be able to challenge for the top three positions in the championship.”

Lestrup Racing Team completes more than 1000 laps in successful STCC pre-season testing

The four drivers of Lestrup Racing Team have completed more than 1000 laps over four days of successful but challenging official STCC TCR Scandinavia pre-season test days at Knutstorp and Ljungbyhed in Sweden.

”This has certainly been a baptism of fire for our first outing with our expanded four-car team with torrential rain, crashes but most importantly – plenty of test laps,” said team co-owner Fredrik Lestrup.

”Everyone has performed really well and while it was a shame that Robin’s test got cut short after his crash, he showed promising pace, as did Rob, Oliver and Mikael.”

Oliver Söderström topped the first test day at Knutstorp, the only day held in dry conditions.

”It has been four intense days that have been really positive. I had the pace in dry conditions straight away, while I had more to work on in the wet. So it has been really rewarding to get three days in wet conditions and I felt much more comfortable at the end of the final day,” said Oliver Söderström.

Reigning STCC champion Rob Huff was right at the top of all four test days, his first outing in the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR since the season finale at Knutstorp last year.

”It’s been four quite positive and good days, just nice to get back in the car again. We have learned a lot and got to test what we wanted, getting the answers we wanted. Now we obviously need to get everything ready for the season opener,” said Rob Huff.

Mikael Karlsson got his first laps with the team and was feeling buoyant after the four days of tough testing.

”We have gained a lot of valuable data and it has really been a different feeling in the car with different settings compared to what I drove last year. I’ve never driven quicker around Knutstorp than I did during the dry first test day. The feeling is good ahead of our coming challenges,” said Mikael Karlsson.

Robin Knutsson, who will make his STCC debut for the team this year, showed promising form during the first two days at Knutstorp while his test at Ljungbyhed was cut short following a high-speed off.

”It was a hard hit, but I feel ok and everything looked good at the hospital check-up. A huge thanks to everyone in the rescue staff and the team for their efforts. I’m really keen to get going again and I am happy that we got so many laps during the first days. It feels like we have taken big steps forward already,” said Robin Knutsson.

Next up for Lestrup Racing Team is the STCC TCR Scandinavia season opener at Ljungbyhed on June 4-5.

Results – Knutstorp – Test 1
Results – Knutstorp – Test 2
Results – Knutstorp – Test 3
Results – Ljungbyhed – Test 1
Results – Ljungbyhed – Test 2
Results – Ljungbyhed – Test 3

STCC champions Lestrup Racing Team unveils 2021 colours

Reigning STCC TCR Scandinavia champions Lestrup Racing Team have unveiled new colours for the 2021 season, just as the teams have started the first official pre-season tests at Ring Knutstorp in southern Sweden today.

”We have made an evolution of our design that we are really pleased with and we are all set for the pre-season testing this week,” said Fredrik Lestrup, co-owner of Lestrup Racing Team.

Lestrup Racing Team will expand from two to four Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR race cars for this season for drivers Rob Huff, Oliver Söderström, Mikael Karlsson and Robin Knutsson.

The official pre-season testing starts today with two days at Ring Knutstorp in southern Sweden, followed by two days at Ljungbyhed Park, the same circuit where the season premiere will take place on June 4-5.