Steber Racing wants to defend the team title - but expects tough competition
Steber Racing won last year's newly established team championship and left the final at Ring Knutstorp with the first prize of SEK 150,000 in safe custody. This year's battle for the team title in the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia begins on the same track. The team from Falun comes to Skåne as reigning champions, but expects tough opposition. - Of course it can be difficult to repeat the victory from last year, but the opportunity exists and we have the capacity of the drivers, says team manager Stefan Pettersson.
In the end, it was a battle between Steber Racing and Fragus Motorsport for the team title in the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia 2020. Before the final and decisive race in the championship, Steber Racing's lead was only four points. Still, it was not a big, concluding drama. Since one of Fragus Motorsport's two drivers did not start, it did not help that Pontus Fredricsson drove 14 points. The Steber duo Hugo Andersson and Patrick Rundquist were noted for the double and were able to celebrate victory with team manager Stefan Pettersson and other team members afterwards. They shared the prize money. “We divided the prize money three ways, with my money I bought set-up equipment for the team” says Pettersson.
It is important to always collect points
Ahead of this year's season, it looks like there could be a new, interesting fight for the team title. Steber Racing will start with their gold duo from last year, but with the difference that this year Andersson and Rundquist compete in the same class from the start. Last year, Rundquist started the championship in the Porsche Approved Cup and collected six full points before switching to the generation 2 variant of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (991). “I do not think that our chances of success are worse this year. Both Hugo and Patrick have taken steps in their development, but to be up there, it is important that they reach the finish line and collect points in each race” Pettersson states.
Drivers in each class
This year, the Masters Cup (the class for amateur drivers over the age of 40) replaces the Porsche Approved Cup in the team championship. Having top drivers in both classes will be an advantage. This is something Sundahl Racing and Team Pampas have taken note of. They have simply merged their businesses under the name Sundahl-Pampas Racing. This gives the newly composed team with reigning champion Lukas Sundahl and the title candidate in the Masters Cup, Christoffer Bergström, the opportunity to win a maximum of 50 points in each race - 25 points for a total victory in the Carrera Cup and 25 points for a class victory in the Masters Cup. A driver in each class is a principle that Porsche Experience Racing has also adopted. In addition to Prince Carl Philip in the Masters Cup, the team also drives a Porsche Sweden guest car with start number 911. In the premiere, it is driven by meritorious Fredrik Ekblom. A strong duo even there. A top duo also presents last year's team three Mtech Competition. At least in the premiere. Last year's Masterstrea Thomas Karlsson is complemented by former Approved Cup champion Anton Marklund. How many more competitions there will be for Marklund during the season is unclear, but the times he runs there are great opportunities for the team to take really many points.
Strong quartet
Sundahl-Pampas Racing, Porsche Experience Racing, Mtech Competition are all teams that Stefan Pettersson mentions with great respect, but perhaps he still believes in Fragus Motorsport as the main competitor. they have four cars, which is an advantage.
Although Fragus has no driver in the Masters Cup and can never take a maximum of 50 points in a heat, but on the other hand you have four strong cards in the Carrera Cup: Pontus Fredricsson, Hampus Ericsson, Emil Persson and Hampus Hedin. Given that everyone is included in the team championship, and the points for the two best placed are counted in each race, Fragus hardly risks encountering a zero scorer. They can afford one mistake or another. It hardly has the competitors. “We must avoid standing next to the track” Pettersson states coldly.