Swede Rickard Rydell admits he is “looking forward” to the start of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in Argentina this weekend, with the season ahead being his first full season in the series since 2009.
The five-time WTCC race winner is embarking on a full season in a TC1 Honda Civic, run by Swedish team Nika International. The outfit are running a brand-new JAS Motorsport-built car, which due to delays in construction have limited the 47-year-old’s pre-season running.
“I am really looking forward to getting the season underway,” said Rydell. “I’ve been waiting for this weekend for the past year, and I’m truly excited about this brand new adventure with Honda – even though I’m well aware that we’re currently not where we want to be.
“The delay of the car means that we haven’t completed a full testing programme. We would have needed four or five more days in the bag to learn about the set-up, but the one test we did manage to do was all positive.”
This weekend will be the first time Rydell has raced a new-specification TC1 car, with him having previously raced previous generation SEATs and Chevrolets in the series.
“The TC1 is a lot faster than the type of car I used to race in the WTCC, but it has got similar weight distribution and I think it suits my driving style,” explained Rydell. “Honda have been working hard over the winter to close the gap to Citroën, but we have to be realistic and, personally, I’d be happy if we can run in the upper half of the midfield in the early races.
“I’ve never driven the track here in Argentina and our rivals have a year’s experience of the new rules, so we do have a lot of catching up to do initially.”
As a result of his lack of preparation compared to his opposition, Rydell remains realistic about the season ahead.
“My target for the season is to score at least two podiums, and while I would never underestimate the challenge ahead of us, I’m feeling quietly optimistic. We have got a very effective, strong team – just look at the history of where we’re coming from – and I’m convinced that there is real potential in this project.”
Nika Team Principal Nicklas Karlsson sees his team return to the series for a full campaign for the first time since 2013 – the team’s only full year in the championship prior to 2015.
“This is a big day, and a big weekend, for Honda Racing team Sweden,” said Karlsson. “There is a tremendous amount of work behind this programme, put in by every member of the team and by our partners, and to finally have made it onto the grid here in Argentina is an emotional experience.
“We now face the next, highly demanding challenge. A new car, a new set of regulations, and several new tracks – that’s just part of what we have to deal with in 2015. Thanks to our relationship with Honda in Japan and JAS Motorsport, however, we know that we’ve been given strong tools in the shape of the Honda Civic TC1 – and Rickard Rydell needs no further introduction.
“We will take things step by step and make sure to reinforce the team over the early parts of the season, and we then hope to be in a position to challenge the more established outfits later this summer.”
The team’s Sporting Director Stefan Lindberg explains how the project came to reality, having been arranged more than two years ago and revealed to the public almost a year ago.
“Honda Racing Team Sweden is a project that took almost two years to realise,” said Lindberg. “It has taken a lot of effort from everyone involved, and we’re proud to have made it this far and to become the only Swedish world championship team in the sport.
“This, however, is just the beginning of this exciting journey. We have got a long-term agenda and are continuously working on ways to strengthen the team for the future. It will take some time, and we go into this season in a very humble frame of mind, but we are here to eventually join the battle out front in the WTCC.”
