The legal struggle between GRM and Volvo kicked off last Friday with a hearing at the Federal Court, as the Melbourne-based team looks to win custody of its Volvo S60 racecars and engines beyond the end of the 2016 season.

According to a statement published by the team on social media, entitled ‘Volvo v. VCA’, the result of the hearing was a court-ordered mediation process – something GRM is chalking up as a win.

“We had our first listing in the Federal Court on Friday where orders were made by the Judge regarding the completion of legal steps,” read the statement.

“The Judge has provided a window of opportunity to resolve the matter this year by way of Court ordered mediation.

“This was very positive from our point of view as we have been attempting to sit down with Volvo and discuss the position that they had left us in following Volvo’s unexpected announcement in May to exit Supercars at the completion of the current season, after earlier indications that an extension to the programme was supported.

“In the short term our focus and energies are on converting the speed that we have shown through the first two legs of the Endurance Cup into a result at the Gold Coast this weekend.”

GRM is looking to be allowed to use the Volvo hardware for the 2017 season, despite the brand’s performance arm Polestar wanting to bring the cars and engines back to Sweden when Volvo officially withdraws from Supercars at the end of the current season.

GRM’s reasoning for fighting to hold on to the cars and engines is that there isn’t sufficient time to make other arrangements before the ’17 season kicks off next March.