Robert Dahlgren joins the V8 Supercars Championship as one of Polestar Racing’s most experienced and distinguished drivers.
The 34-year-old has been a key part of Volvo’s racing division Polestar for 10 years, working on projects in the World Touring Car Championship and more recently in the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.
Born in Skelleffte, Sweden, Dahlgren began his career in karting before moving into single seaters with success in Formula Ford.
In his first season he lifted the Formula Ford Sweden Junior title in 1997. His most successful campaign followed a season later as he claimed 10 victories from 18 races to win the Nordic and Swedish Formula Ford titles.
Dahlgren proved himself in the toughest Formula Ford championship in Europe when he won the British title in 2001, his second year in the championship.
After racing alongside James Courtney en route to finishing fourth in 2000, he pipped now accomplished Porsche racer Patrick Long to the championship by three points the next year.
Two years in British Formula 3 followed with Dahlgren’s first spent in the Scholarship Class where he was unable to challenge the front runners.
In 2003 he stepped into the high flying Fortec team alongside Aussie Indycar star Will Power and also competed alongside V8 Supercars racer Will Davison.
Dahlgren recored just one win and two podiums in the championship as he finished ninth overall just behind Davison, but crucially ahead of team-mate Power.
The Swede left single seaters and joined Polestar in 2004 where he has spent the last 10 years developing Volvo and Polestar’s road cars along with their racing projects.
He is currently the longest serving factory driver in the marques history celebrating 10 years service this year.
His touring car career began racing a Volvo S60 in 2004, finishing second in the Swedish Touring Car Championship behind Richard Goransson. His results have fluctuated in the series over the years but was always considered a title contender.
Dahlgren is yet to win the Swedish Touring car Championship crown but has finished runner-up on three occasions in 2007 and 2010.
He missed out on the overall title in 2010 but he did win the Swedish Touring Car Cup, which was awarded to the driver with the best results in selected Swedish and Danish events.
Still with Polestar, he competed in the newly formed Scandinavian Touring Car Championship from 2011 with a best result of third in 2013 edition, finishing behind Polestar team-mate Thed Bjork, who secured the title.
While racing in his domestic touring car championships, Dahlgren has made several appearances in Polestar’s C30 WTCC entry. In the 34 races he entered his best result was a fourth place finish in 2011.
The Swede will now make his debut with Volvo Polestar Racing in the V8 Supercars Championship alongside the team’s existing driver Scott McLaughlin.
Facts – Robert Dahlgren
Age: 34
Lives: Skellefteå, Sweden
Seasons with Volvo: 10
Drivers’ titles with Volvo: 1 (STC Cup 2010)
Teams’ titles with Volvo: 5
STCC races: 96
STCC wins: 17
STCC podiums: 39
STCC pole positions: 35 (6 more than any other STCC driver)
See below for Polestar’s 2013 STCC season review video featuring Dahlgren
