FIA WTCC NEWSLETTER # 21 – 30 June 2006
WTCC RACE OF BRAZIL LAUNCHED IN CURITIBA
The FIA WTCC HSBC Race of Brazil was officially launched
today in Curitiba. At lunch time all the drivers took part
in two autograph sessions in front of the HSBC headquarters,
on the central Avenida Luis Xavier; a huge number of fans
and many media representatives attended the event.
In the afternoon the Mayor of Curitiba, Mr Beto Richa, and
Mr Glen Valente, Marketing Director of HSBC, welcomed the
drivers at a cocktail reception in the Graciosa Country Club.
“Curitiba is really proud to host the FIA WTCC’s
first Brazilian event. We are working very hard to make it
a successful one and to give Curitiba a stable place in the
calendar of this FIA World Championship,” said Mr Beto
Richa.
Jacques Behar, president of KSO, echoed: “Brazil is
a country of football excellence, but also a country that
loves motor sports deeply and has produced a lot of talented
drivers. And therefore I wish that the Brazilian fans will
come to support their local boy Augusto Farfus as strongly
as they do with their legendary Seleção.”
SEAT DRIVERS MAKE 1-2-3 IN TESTING
Early signs indicate the Brazilian circuit of Curitiba suits
the SEAT cars, as the top three times in the testing session
were completed in a León. Peter Terting was the fastest
with a 1:25.125.
Fellow SEAT Sport driver, Jordi Gené was the third
quickest while GR Asia’s independent competitor Tom
Coronel split the two with a time of 1:25.306. The first outing
of the weekend for the WTCC cars provided a taste of what
is to come, with numerous drivers topping the timesheet at
different stages.
Andy Priaulx headed the BMWs, 0.436 seconds off Terting’s
time. Behind him was another SEAT driven by Rickard Rydell
while the 6th fastest time was achieved by local lad Augusto
Farfus at the wheel of his N.technology Alfa Romeo 156. The
Chevrolet team’s best result came from Rob Huff who
completed a lap in 1:25.819, .
On his return appearance to the WTCC, Fabrizio Giovanardi
posted the 10th best time in a JAS Motorsport Honda Accord.
Throughout the session the times were incredibly close. At
one stage a grand total of 19 drivers were within one second.
With three minutes remaining the session was red flagged as
a result of Romanini’s BMW being stranded on the grass
along the pit straight.
The test resumed shortly afterwards and it was in these final
three minutes that the top four times were set.
THE TOP-10 IN THE TEST SESSION
1. Peter Terting SEAT León 1:25.125 156.26 kph
2. Tom Coronel SEAT León 1:25.306 0.181
3. Jordi Gené SEAT León 1:25.384 0.259
4. Andy Priaulx BMW 320si 1:25.561 0.436
5. Rickard Rydell SEAT León 1:25.739 0.614
6. Augusto Farfus Alfa Romeo 156 1:25.770 0.645
7. Robert Huff Chevrolet Lacetti 1:25.819 0.694
8. Alessandro Zanardi BMW 320si 1:25.988 0.863
9. Gabriele Tarquini SEAT León 1:26.012 0.877
10. Fabrizio Giovanardi Honda Accord 1:26.016 0.891
LUCAS MOLO FACES WTCC DEBUT
Augusto Farfus will not be the only Brazilian to hit the
track in a WTCC car this weekend. Lucas Molo, who is 23 and
from Rio de Janeiro will also be at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo,
this one run by Equipo TekProm.
“Augusto and I spoke last night and he told me a few
things but I need to speak with him a lot more for his advice
on how to approach the weekend,” said the young driver
who enjoys football and clubbing.
‘I am a little nervous to be here but extremely happy.
This is a great chance to take because it is a very important
championship with high class drivers; it’s a dream.
I hope to learn from this weekend. It will be the first time
in my car which is older than the others and has also taken
part in endurance races but I don’t know what to expect.
Let me get on the track and then I will know everything!”
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