GRM Confirm 2017 in the Volvo powered S60
Garry Rogers Motorsport has confirmed to FOX SPORTS this evening that they will race V8-powered Volvo S60 in 2017 with or without factory support.
V8 Superfans understands that the Volvo’s performance car arm, Polestar told the team they would not renew their association with the team for 2017 at the beginning of this year.
“Polestar advised us at the start of this season that their involvement in V8 Supercars had ceased,” Barry Rogers, director at GRM, told foxsports.com.au.
“If you look at the rear wing of our car; last year it said Volvo Polestar Racing, this year it says Volvo Cyan Racing. If you look at our trucks, last year it said Volvo Polestar Racing, this year we have Volvo Dealer Team on it. So the Polestar connection ceased at the start of the 2016 season.”
Rogers also confirmed to FOX SPORTS that they still yet to secure a concrete agreement with Volvo Cars Australia for their support beyond this years, although the company is keen to remain in the sport but still needs approval from Sweeden.
“VCA are supportive of the V8 Supercar program,” said Rogers.
“They want to continue in it, but they also do take direction from Sweden. Whether this announcement puts pressure on VCA to make an about-face on their commitment to it, we don’t know.”
“We briefly spoke to (VCA managing director) Kevin McCann. He’s a little shocked by the announcement, in the fact that it’s worded in a way that (suggests) Volvo is out of motor racing, and at this stage we don’t believe that to be the case.”
With Polestar’s core focus now on smaller capacity hybrid vehicles, they have elected to withdraw their support of a racing program that will, for at least the immediate future, be powered by a V8 engine.