Robert Dahlgren takes lights-to-flag win in Skellefteå Race 1

Robert Dahlgren took an easy victory in the opening race of TCR Scandinavia at the Skellefteå Drivecenter in his PWR Racing CUPRA, leading a static top three comprised of Andreas Ahlberg’s Volkswagen, and Mattias Andersson’s Lynk & Co.
At the start, Hannes Morin stalled his Audi RS 3 LMS from sixth place, handing an easy promotion to the Lestrup Racing Team Volkswagen behind him of Oliver Söderström.
Up front, Dahlgren led the way cleanly into Turn 1 ahead of Ahlberg and Andersson, and the top three quickly began to space out and pull away from the chasing pack, which left much of the excitement of the race to be the battle for fourth position, which was held by Mikael Karlsson in the leading Lestrup Racing Team entry.
Karlsson held off the charge from Hugo Nerman, in his Kågered Racing Volkswagen for the first two laps, before Nerman found himself under attack by Söderström.
The 22-year-old made a lunge down the inside of Nerman’s Golf at Turn 14 on lap three, but Nerman was able to hold onto the inside line at snatch the position back at the start of lap four.
Söderström’s race soon ended with broken suspension, which promoted the PWR Racing CUPRA of Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky in his place, and she then started to apply pressure to Nerman.
Nerman went wide on lap six, handing the PWR Racing driver fifth on a plate, and she then set about Karlsson’s car, but could never quite get close enough to try and pass, and found herself settling in behind him in fifth.
Nerman was forced into the pits with damage, which meant Brink inherited sixth place, gaining almost all his ground through other drivers’ mishaps, ahead of his Brink Motorsport teammate Hannes Morin.
The race finished after ten laps with Dahlgren winning by five seconds over Ahlberg, with Andersson a further two-and-a-half seconds back in third.
Dahlgren has extended his lead over Andersson in the standings to 26 points, while Brink moves to a clear third courtesy of Söderström’s retirement.
The second race will start at 16:40 CEST.

Skellefteå – Race 1
1. Robert Dahlgren (PWR Racing, CUPRA Leon Competición), 10 laps
2. Andreas Ahlberg (Micke Kågered Racing, Volkswagen Golf GTI), 5.018
3. Mattias Andersson (MA:GP, Lynk & Co 03), 7.543
4. Mikael Karlsson (Lestrup Racing Team, Volkswagen Golf GTI), 8.706
5. Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky (PWR Racing, CUPRA Leon Competición), 9.037

Championship points
1. R. Dahlgren 85 pts; 2. M. Andersson 59; 3. T. Brink 53

Picture: TCR Scandinavia