Volvo’s Thed Björk is predicting that Sunday’s World Touring Car Championship track action will present a ‘big challenge’ with heavy rain forecast to fall on the Japanese circuit throughout the day.
Rain is forecast to fall for much of Sunday in Motegi near Tokyo, making an extra challenge for the Polestar Cyan Racing outfit.
Track action has already been limited on Saturday, with the shipping for the WTCC delayed by typhoon activity in the region.
Tropical Storm Saola is forecast to hit the Tokyo region on Sunday, passing directly over the Twin Ring Motegi circuit.
“It will be a big challenge with all the rain but we are used to it now coming from China [where the Main Race lasted just two laps due to rain],” said Björk, who leads the championship by just 2.5 points. “We will just have to start fighting tomorrow again.
“My focus is just to continue focusing on what I am doing and do it in a relaxed way, optimising the car and me together just to be as fast as possible. That’s the only point.
“I am now the leader of the championship and it feels a very nice feeling to be leading this highly competitive championship. I just focus on doing the same thing that I always do.”
Free Practice 2 is scheduled to get underway at 08:00 JST (00:00 BST, 01:00 CEST).