Scott McLaughlin impressed Polestar’s global motorsport boss Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin with his European debut on the weekend, despite the Kiwi being spectacularly crashed out of the second race.
McLaughlin, filling in for Prince Carl Phillip in the factory Volvo squad at the opening round of the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship in New Zealand, made a splash in qualifying by being in the Top 4 in both Q1 and Q2.
He then backed up that pace by finishing the first race second, just 1.5s behind former Volvo V8 Supercars team-mate Robert Dahlgren.
There was a second podium – at the very least – on the cards in Race 2, McLaughlin charging from P9 on the grid to P3 within just four laps. But on Lap 5 he was hit hard from behind by the Saab of Reuben Kressner at the hairpin, the impact taking both cars out on the spot.
”I was hit from behind in the second race, nothing I could do about it,” said McLaughlin.
“While that was disappointing, I am pleased with my pace in qualifying and to claim a podium finish.
“My goal was to break into the top three and that is what I have done.”
Despite the Race 2 DNF, Murdzevski Schedvin was impressed with what he saw from off-contract V8 Supercars star McLaughlin.
”This has been an eventful and successful weekend for us,” said the Head of Motorsport at Polestar.
“ It was a shame that McLaughlin was eliminated in the second race, but he has delivered way beyond expectations and we are more than pleased with his efforts.”
It was still a clean sweep for Volvo, Richard Goransson leading home Dahlgren in Race 2.
