VALLELUNGA IS READY TO HOST THE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIA
EUROPEAN TOURING CAR CUP
Twenty-six drivers, coming from eleven European countries,
and at the wheel of seven different types of cars, will gather
next week at the Autodromo di Vallelunga to compete in the
maiden edition of the FIA European Touring Car Cup. This will
be the first car racing event held on Vallelunga’s renewed
racetrack, that has been recently extended from the original
3.2 km to the current 4.0. Renovation works finished at the
end of August, and a few days later the new layout was homologated
by the FIA.
The FIA European Touring Car Cup is reserved for cars complying
with the FIA Super 2000 and Super Production technical regulations.
Drivers’ titles will be awarded for each of the two
categories.
THE PROMOTERS ARE HAPPY
Marcello Lotti, General Manager of promoter company KSO,
explained: “Our first aim was to give exposure to the
national championships that have adopted the FIA rules through
an international, high-level event. And I have to say that
we had a very good response from drivers and teams. Despite
the difficulties in finding some extra budget at the end of
the season, we have representatives from eight different national
championships. Which is a success.”
ZANARDI LEADS THE ITALIAN PATROL
Alessandro Zanardi, a race winner in the FIA World Touring
Car Championship and newly crowned champion of the Italian
Superturismo, is leading the local drivers’ group. At
the wheel of his Roal Motorsport BMW 320i, Zanardi is considered
one of the favourite contenders for the Super 2000 crown.
The level of the Italian patrol is very high, with Salvatore
Tavano and Andrea Larini at the wheel of the DB Motorsport
Alfa Romeo 156 cars, Alessandro Balzan in the Scuderia del
Girasole SEAT Toledo Cupra, the Proteam Motorsport BMWs driven
by Davide Roda and Luca Rangoni, and Stefano Valli –
from San Marino – in another BMW.
PLATO AND CORONEL ARE SEAT’s TOP MEN
SEAT will be represented by six Toledo Cupra cars in the
Super 2000 Cup; Jason Plato and Tom Coronel will be the leading
drivers for the Spanish manufacturer. Plato, a former champion
in the British Touring Car Championship, has been classified
fourth in this year’s national series, claiming three
victories for SEAT Sport UK. Coronel, who is currently fighting
for the FIA WTCC Independents’ Trophy, has been accepted
following a request from the Dutch Motor Sport Authority (KNAF).
He will be driving for the UK-based GR Asia team.
FOUR MEN AND A LADY FROM GERMANY
The German DPM will be represented by two teams: Schubert
Motors and TW Racing. The former have entered two BMW 320i
cars for Rustem Teregulov, from Russia, and former German
champion Claudia Hürtgen, the only lady driver to compete
in the Cup. Wolfgang Treml, from Austria, and former Baltic
champion Aivis Othla, from Estonia, will be at the wheel of
the two Ford Focus cars run by TW Racing. The group is completed
by Franz Engstler’s BMW. Also a former winner of the
German champion, Engstler is currently leading the Asian Touring
Car Championship and will also compete in the FIA WTCC finale
in Macau.
A STRONG FORCE COMES FROM THE NORTH
Five Swedish drivers get the lion’s share within the
Nordic force. Richard Göransson and Thed Björk –
who were classified 1st and 2nd in the Swedish Touring Car
Championship – are among the favourites in their West
Coast Racing BMWs. Other Swedes are Tomas Engström, winner
of the FIA WTCC Independents’ race in Valencia, and
the Peugeot duo formed by Jens Edman, a competitor in the
Danish Touring Car Championship, and Johan Stureson, whose
father Per was 1985 DTM champion. Michael Nykjær and
Ari Laivola will represent SEAT’s Danish and Finnish
importers respectively.
THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING
In addition to Rustem Teregulov, who will be racing for the
German Schibert Motors, Russia-based Avtodom Racing have entered
one BMW 320i car for Mickail Ukhov. The 47-year old from Moscow
has established himself as one of Russia’s best Touring
Car drivers ever, securing the national crown twice and finishing
three times as runnerup.
JAMES KAYE TO RACE FOR GR ASIA
James Kaye, one of the most experienced drivers in the British
Touring Car Championship, was the latest addition to the entry
list for the FIA European Cup. Kaye – a former works
driver for Mazda and Honda – will drive GR Asia’s
second SEAT Toledo Cupra alongside Tom Coronel.
SUPER PRODUCTION – ITALY VS RUSSIA
Only three drivers have entered in the Super Production Cup:
Lorenzo Pasquinelli from Italy and the Russians Sergey Krylov
and Andrey Nikolaev.
“We decided to organise a Super Production Cup because
in some countries these cars are still an important part of
the field. However the limited number of entries makes it
clear that the process of switching from Super Production
to S2000 is now nearly complete. In this respect we are pleased,
because it’s confirmation that we have worked in the
right direction while spreading the S2000 rules,” commented
Marcello Lotti.
EURO 200,000 PRIZE MONEY AT STAKE
Competitors of the FIA European Touring Car Cup will race
on Yokohama control tyres. The Japanese tyre Manufacturer
and the company promoter KSO have put in a strong effort to
establish the Yokohama Trophy, which will award a total of
euro 200,000. Euro 150,000 will be distributed among the first
twelve drivers classified in the Super 2000 Cup. The winner
will receive euro 25,000, while the second and third classified
drivers will win 20,000 and 15,000 respectively. Euro 50,000
are at stake for Super Production Cup’s competitors,
with a first prize of 15,000.
LIVE BROADCAST ON EUROSPORT
90 minutes of live broadcasting from the FIA European Touring
Car Cup in Vallelunga will be aired Sunday 16th October on
Eurosport 2. Race 1 will be televised from 15.00 to 15.45,
and Race 2 from 16.15 to 17.00.
Additional coverage on Eurosport International will include
60-minute highlights on Tuesday 18th October, from 23.30.
|
