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Lestrup Racing Team drivers Oliver Söderström and Mikael Karlsson broke into the top five in the first STCC TCR Scandinavia qualifying of 2021 at Ljungbyhed.

Oliver Söderström will start from fourth on the grid in the first two races but believes there was more to give.

“To be the best Volkswagen driver in qualifying feels ok, but I obviously wanted to finish higher up. I could have finished better in Q2, but I was hindered by Mattias Andersson and I’m rather frustrated. But I still think we have a good position for tomorrow and the car felt amazing,” said Oliver Söderström.

Mikael Karlsson claimed a personal best qualifying result with fifth in the second session, despite going off track briefly.

“We made some adjustments that didn’t work and then I made a mistake, went off track and damaged the car. But we made some adjustments for Q2 that worked and P5 is okay. I have to be happy and I think there is more left in both me and the car,” said Mikael Karlsson.

STCC newcomer Robin Knutsson, who crashed heavily at Ljungbyhed during the pre-season testing, was back on track and finished 12th overall.

“We keep taking steps forward from testing earlier today and it’s all about getting more laps and experience for me. This was my first STCC qualifying ever and I didn’t have any expectations. But I feel no pressure and we keep making progress slowly but surely,” said Robin Knutsson.

The first race of three starts at 10:50 CEST tomorrow and is broadcast LIVE on: plus.stcc.se

Results
Qualifying 1
Qualifying 2

Lestrup Racing Team will start the 2021 STCC TCR Scandinavia season this weekend at Ljungbyhed as the reigning drivers’ and teams’ champions.

“We are ready and our goal for this season is unchanged from last year – to stand on the very top step of the standings when the dust settles after the season finale in October,” said Fredrik Lestrup, team co-owner.

The team faces a challenging first race weekend at Ljungbyhed, a completely new circuit for everyone in the team. The pre-season test was held at Ljungbyhed but in very wet conditions in bright contrast to this weekend’s dry and sunny weather forecast.

All eyes are on Oliver Söderström after his now former team-mate and reigning STCC champion Rob Huff was drafted for the FIA World Touring Car Cup just two weeks ago by Cupra team Zengo Motorsport.

The 22-year-old Swede heads to the first race of 2021 behind the wheel of his Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR following a promising 2020 season where he won the first race.

“There is no hiding in that Rob played a big part both as my team-mate but also as a rival on the track. But I feel no pressure. I want to win this year and it feels natural keeping last year’s season in mind. It’s going to be a tight season, but we’ve got just as good resources as last year and I feel really confident,” said Oliver Söderström.

Oliver Söderström’s new team-mate Mikael Karlsson, who made his STCC debut last year, impressed during his first run with Lestrup Racing Team during the official pre-season testing.

“We’ve had a solid pre-season and I feel right at home with the team. I have high goals personally for this season, but I know that we have an even tougher field this year compared to last. The main thing will be to claw into the top five and score points consistently,” said Mikael Karlsson.

Robin Knutsson, who is new to the team as well, had a baptism of fire during the pre-season testing, crashing heavily at Ljungbyhed in the pouring rain. The car has been repaired since then and the 19-year-old is raring to get going.

“It was a big crash, but the only thing I could think of after the crash was when I could get back behind the wheel again. We had made really good progress prior to that and I am confident that we can continue building strongly on that as the season progresses. My goal for this season is to learn as much as possible and build experience. If I can match my team-mates on speed, I will be very happy,” said Robin Knutsson.

Lestrup Racing Team will face a field of 13 drivers from eight teams that represent five manufacturers.

Follow the races LIVE via STCC+ this weekend: plus.stcc.se

Schedule – Ljungbyhed
Friday 4/6
09:35 – Test 1
13:45 – Test 2
16:59 – Qualifying Q1
17:20 – Qualifying Q2

Saturday 5/6
10:50 – Race 1
13:45 – Race 2
16:50 – Race 3

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.”

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

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.

Mikael Karlsson completes Lestrup Racing Team’s expanded four-car programme for the 2021 STCC TCR Scandinavia season.

“I am very excited to join Lestrup Racing Team, especially after their impressive season last year and I hope to play a part in their title defense this year,” said Mikael Karlsson.

The Swede made his STCC debut last year, scoring an impressive debut win in his second race weekend at Skellefteå to finish tenth overall.

“Mikael impressed us last year and we know that he has a lot of potential,” said Fredrik Lestrup, team co-owner.

“To expand from two to four cars is a massive task that we by no means underestimate. But I know that everyone involved has got what it takes for it and we will work methodically towards our goal of defending out titles.”

While Karlsson is new to the STCC, he has claimed the 2000 Formula 3 Sweden and Nordic titles, as well as finishing as runner-up in the 2019 V8 Thunder Cars Sweden season.

“I’m quite comfortable behind the wheel of the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR now and it’s going to be really interesting to work with the team with all the new data they have,” said Mikael Karlsson.

“I have high goals personally for this season, but I know that we have an even tougher field this year compared to last. The main thing will be to claw into the top five and score points consistently.”

Mikael Karlsson is going to have Robin Knutsson as team-mate at Lestrup Racing Team while reigning champion Rob Huff and Oliver Söderström will drive together, just as last year, at Lestrup Racing Team by Volkswagen Stockholm.

The official STCC pre-season tests will start next week at Knutstorp and Ljungbyhed Park. The first race of the year will take place at Ljungbyhed Park on June 4-5.

Reigning STCC TCR Scandinavia champion Rob Huff will return to defend his title with Lestrup Racing Team for 2021 driving a Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR.

“I’m very excited to return to the STCC as champion after what was probably one of the most emotional seasons I have experienced in a long time,” said Rob Huff.

The Brit crowned the best ever season to date for Lestrup Racing Team in a thrilling season finale, as it claimed both the drivers’ and teams’ STCC titles.

“Last year was an awesome milestone for us all in the team and we are delighted to continue our successful cooperation with Rob,” said Fredrik Lestrup, co-owner of Lestrup Racing Team.

“We had high expectations ahead of our first season together that he surpassed, and then some. Rob shares our passion for motorsport in just the right way and we have an unchanged team around him that will be a key factor in our title defence this year.”

The 2012 world touring car champion managed to claim the STCC title despite never having raced at any of the circuits before, something only achieved once before in the history of the championship by a non-Scandinavian driver.

“It was very much going into the unknown last year and I feel much more prepared for 2021 as I have visited at least four of the circuits that we will go to,” said Rob Huff.

“That should definitely make life easier to dial in the car for each particular circuit, rather than having to learn everything from scratch.

“I’m hugely thankful to Lestrup Racing Team for what they delivered last year and I’m very much looking forward to getting started again. I’m expecting a very tough championship this year, probably even tougher than last year, and we will do everything we can to rise to the challenge.”

Lestrup Racing Team will field at least three cars for the 2021 STCC TCR Scandinavia season, with further information to be revealed soon.

“We have plenty of interesting news coming and we are working flat out to get everything in order for our goal of defending both titles, as well as fighting for the junior title again,” said Fredrik Lestrup.

“Being defending champions is new to us and it is of course a massive challenge, especially as it looks like we will have an even stronger field this year.

“But I am confident that we have an even stronger team this year after all the challenges we had last year to face the new season and to fight for the very top again.”

The 2021 STCC TCR Scandinavia season starts on June 4-5 at Ljungbyhed Park in the south of Sweden, for a total of six race weekends until October.

Oliver Söderström is back with Lestrup Racing Team for the 2021 STCC TCR Scandinavia season and is looking for redemption after a promising but frustrating 2020 season.

“I feel that I had a breakthrough last season that did not bear fruit. But I am really motivated for 2021 as the speed and potential was there all year in 2020,” said Oliver Söderström.

The 22-year-old will start his fourth year with the team and his third season in the STCC, finishing fifth overall last year with one victory and three podium finishes.

“We believe strongly in Oliver and his capabilities, he proved that he is quick and can win races last year,” said Fredrik Lestrup, team co-owner.

“We have built up a really good relationship over the years and we are delighted to continue to build on that. We are convinced that he can win the STCC, if not this year, then during the coming seasons.”

Söderström had 2012 world champion and reigning STCC champion Rob Huff as team-mate last year, a cooperation he says has helped him a lot.

“I had a great relationship with Rob last year and I learned so much, especially in terms of race craft and strategy as he has so much experience,” said Söderström.

“But I know that I have the pace and that motivates me for this year – to get it all together and fight for the very top. It won’t be easy, but that’s why we are here.”

The confirmation of Söderström is the second entry of Lestrup Racing Team for the 2021 STCC season, with Robin Knutsson being confirmed last week, and further news will be revealed during the coming weeks.

The first race of the year takes place at Ljungbyhed Park on June 4-5.