Volvo test crucial to unlock race pace

Volvo Polestar Racing will use a test ahead of the next round at Sydney Motorsport Park to evaluate developments aimed at solving its deficiency in race pace.

Already winners in its first season of competition with the S60, the Garry Rogers-led operation is zeroing in on sharpening its potency over a race distance.

Team spearhead Scott McLaughlin was fighting for a podium spot in the 200km race at Queensland Raceway before falling out of contention when forced to pit for a new left-front tyre during his middle stint.

“We’ve got a test day coming up and we are going to try a few new things,” McLaughlin said.

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“We had some good opportunities to be top five all weekend (at Queensland Raceway) but circumstances happen and I’m sure we’ll get some back some time.

“It was one of the most promising Sundays we’ve had for a long time. We had a really good race car.”

The Volvos have undergone a ballast change to their engines since the team made its public track debut in February.

The Volvo powerplant had up to 20 percent of its total minimum weight requirement in its sump, most of which was subsequently re-adjusted to a higher position at the request of the category prior to Symmons Plains.

Even though the characteristics of the Sydney Motorsport Park layout suit the Volvos, the change to the distribution of weight in the front-end has cast some doubt heading into the event in three weeks.

“We don’t really know how it will go (at Sydney Motorsport Park) because a few things have changed with the weight of the engine,” McLaughlin said.

“From when we were there at the February test it felt pretty good.

“So a little bit of the car has changed. Not much but we just don’t know and I haven’t raced there before.”

McLaughlin remains seventh in the standings after the Coates Hire Ipswich 400, with team-mate Robert Dahlgren 25th.