At the launch of the new Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 entry today (27 February, 2017) in Gothenburg, Sweden, Nicky Catsburg was confirmed as one of the three race drivers for the Polestar Cyan Racing team in this year’s FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC).
Catsburg is no stranger to the series, having competed a partial season in 2015 and a full campaign last year including a historic first victory in Russia. This year he teams up with Thed Björk and Néstor Girolami in a three-car assault on the WTCC with Polestar Cyan Racing which gets under way 8-9 April in Morocco.
On joining Polestar Cyan Racing for the 2017 season?
“I’m super-happy to be joining Volvo as at one point I thought I was going to have to leave the WTCC and I have one and a half years’ experience in it now and I love the championship. We were searching for a new seat and therefore to be racing a factory Volvo is a huge honour.”
Initial thoughts having tested the car?
“The car was promising last year in its first season of competition and improvements are constantly made. I have tested in Portugal and Spain and the car has continued to be revised and developed and we’ve already achieved a huge step in performance. I think we can fight for the world championship with this car.”
You have two new teammates in Thed and Néstor
“I know both from the WTCC already. Thed is the benchmark at Volvo and has been with them for a long time and he has helped me in getting to know the team and people. Néstor is the hot-shot from Argentina and has done some good stuff in the WTCC; he’s also a really nice guy and we all got on well in pre-season testing.
With three cars, both the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ are the target this year…
“The team want to be champions this year, that’s the clear objective. I also want to be champion of course, but this will be a real team effort and for the team, it doesn’t matter which one of us wins the drivers’ title. So, we’ll all help each other and if it’s not me, I really hope it’s one of them!”
Some new rules for the season, longer races and a few rules to spice up the action…
“I’m not sure the Joker Lap will happen, but I hope it does. Let’s not talk down something before we’ve tried it. It’s something interesting and it will spice up the race as well as adding a strategic element, so why not? It’s new, so let’s embrace it and see as it has worked really well in WRX.”