Team Volvo Polestar scored its third Manufacturers Against the Clock team time trial win of the 2017 FIA World Touring Car Championship season over a lap of the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife.

On the mammoth 25.378-kilometre circuit, WTCC MAC3 is contested over only one lap instead of the usual two, but it was not without drama for either competing team.

At Team Volvo Polestar, Nicky Catsburg suffered from a bad vibration on his Volvo S60 Polestar, but the Polestar Cyan Racing trio, which also included Néstor Girolami and Thed Björk, was still able to triumph.

For Team Honda, Tiago Monteiro carried a damper problem that he suffered at the end of the qualifying session, leaving him wary of using the kerbs as he chased Ryo Michigami and Norbert Michelisz around the track.

The 12 points gained allows Volvo Polestar to add to its Manufacturers’ championship lead over Honda, which scored eight points, to 14 points heading into Saturday’s two races.

Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin, Head of Motorsport at Polestar, said: “First of all we’re happy to be back here racing at a place where we do a lot of road car development. It was clear before the start that Monteiro had a problem so we were able to more or less play it safe. You always want to push and give it all you have but it wasn’t necessary this time and we were able to cruise a bit.”

As well as its WTCC MAC3 success, Néstor Girolami will start the Opening Race from pole, while Norbert Michelisz will line-up for the Main Race at the head of the pack.