Scandinavian Touring Car title-winning team PWR Racing has confirmed it will move up to the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) in 2019 with two CUPRA cars, with details of its drivers to be announced in due course.
The Swedish team won the 2017 STCC title with Robert Dahlgren, before scooping the Team’s title last year, although it just missed out on the overall driver’s crown once again.
The team had already confirmed that Robert Dahlgren would continue with the squad last year. The move into WTCR will mean a tandem programme for the outfit in 2019, with PWR also committed to racing domesitcally in the Scandinavian touring car scene.
PWR has chosen to expand its activities to include WTCR in 2019, becoming the second CUPRA team on the grid after Comtoyou Racing.
“The progress for PWR Racing has been extremely fast since we were founded in 2012 and we’re now heading in to our first international season,” said PWR co-founder and driver Daniel Haglöf.
“It’s a great opportunity to measure ourselves against the very best. I’m looking forward to it and I’m grateful for the trust that CUPRA Racing has put in us to represent their brand in WTCR.”
Peter Wallenberg co-founded the team with Haglöf added: “This is an important step for PWR Racing.
“We received official support from SEAT in Sweden ahead of the 2016 STCC season. To now get an opportunity to represent the CUPRA brand on the international stage is an honour and a great testament to everyone that’s been involved with PWR Racing over the years.”
PWR’s first season with SEAT backing was in 2016 in the final year of the Solution F regulations in the STCC. Since then the team has run as the SEAT Dealer team in Sweden.
“We are delighted that PWR Racing continues as part of the CUPRA Racing family in the WTCR,” said Head of CUPRA Racing Jamie Piuig.
“Our three-year collaboration in Sweden has proven to be successful, and I am sure that they will now line up a team which can achieve great results in its debut season in an international championship.”
Eurosport Events, the promoter of WTCR, welcomed PWR to the series, with François Ribeiro, the Head of the promoter, adding: “While PWR is a new team in WTCR and will have to learn most of the tracks, they already have a good knowledge of the CUPRA TCR and a good pedigree.
“Along with Cyan Racing and two world champion drivers in Thed Björk and Johan Kristoffersson, the Swedish presence on the #WTCR2019SUPERGRID is growing ever stronger.
“We look forward to the team sharing news about its exciting driver line-up soon.”