Swedish Lestrup Prepares for V8 Supercar Test

Fredrik Lestrup will head to Australia for a V8 Supercar test next week. The Swedish GT and Endurance driver has secured a test with Dunlop Series team Pacific Hoists Hitachi, driving a Holden V8 Supercar at Wakefield Park outside Sydney. 

The test is the first step in evaluating an expansion of his career to include the Australian touring car scene.

“I’ve followed Australian motorsport and the V8 Supercar championship with a great interest for several years now and I’ve always wanted to get a taste of what these cars are like to drive,” Lestrup said. 

“I got in touch with Nandi Kiss this year about a test in his Dunlop Series car and we established a good rapport from the start. Getting the chance to go to Australia and test a proper V8 Supercar is a dream come true and a chance to get a first taste of what these cars are like to drive. 

“To say I am looking forward to this would be an understatement.”

Lestrup will test the #24 Commodore driven by Kiss in this year’s Dunlop Series, a 2008 vehicle with a 2012 engine. 

This is the only planned test, to be carried out over one day at Wakefield Park on September 24. But Lestrup will also spend time with the team before and after the test as well as following them to Bathurst where the Dunlop Series joins V8 Supercars for the traditional Superchea Auto Bathurst 1000.

“Right now I will concentrate on this first test and just get a good understanding of this type of car, as it is very different from what I’ve driven before. I also look forward to spending time with the team before and after the test and getting a better understanding of how things work in Australian motorsport as well as seeing what possibilities there are for me here in the future.”

Lestrup doesn’t rule out the possibility of racing in the category as early as 2014 but knows there are a lot of hurdles to overcome to make that happen.

“Of course the ultimate goal would be to be able to do a full season in the Dunlop Series next year.

“I fully appreciate the difficulties in achieving this, especially coming from Europe, but I didn’t start out in motorsport to shy away from challenges. I’m prepared to start over from the beginning again to make this happen and there is a lot of hard work ahead to make this possible, but it is a challenge I welcome. 

“V8 Supercars and the Dunlop Series are both very impressive championships and the V8 Supercar scene is one of the largest and most challenging racing series around right now. Being a part of that would be a great step in my career, but right now it is one step at a time and the first step is to prepare myself for this test.”