FIA WTCC NEWSLETTER # 7 – 23 February 2007
RAIN SPOILS WTCC TEST IN ZANDVOORT
Over five days during this week, some WTCC teams tested in
Zandvoort in view of the season’s second race meeting
that will take place on May 6th. Bad weather partially spoiled
their hopes of a dry test. The Dutch circuit was completely
dry only on Monday, as rain dampened it from Tuesday morning
onward and with growing intensity.
Teams were able to test with slick tyres also on Tuesday
morning, but they soon switched to rain tyres as the track
was getting more and more soaked.
LUCKY ZANARDI IN THE NETHERLANDS
Two BMW teams took part in the first part of the test in
Zandvoort. BMW Team Italy- Spain were at the Dutch track from
Monday to Wednesday with one car that was driven by Alessandro
Zanardi first (on Monday and Tuesday morning) and Félix
Porteiro later (from Tuesday afternoon). BMW Team Germany
attended the test also with one car that was alternatively
driven by Jörg Müller and Augusto Farfus on Tuesday
and Wednesday.
Zanardi was the only one of them lucky enough to test in
perfectly dry conditions, on Monday.
“It’s a shame the weather did not allow us to
test on the dry track as much as we had planned,” BMW
Team Italy-Spain’s project manager Umberto Grano commented.
“However I’m quite pleased with the lap times
clocked by both our drivers.”
BMW Team Germany’s team manager Charly Lamm echoed:
“We are happy we had the opportunity to test here, because
both Jörg and Augusto did not know the track. And despite
the bad weather the team have gained a lot of data and experience
in these two days. I like this circuit and I’m sure
we’ll see a couple of great WTCC races here in May.”
6000 KM OF TESTING FOR CHEVROLET
Chevrolet completed their winter test programme in preparation
for the 2007 FIA WTCC with three days in Zandvoort, from Monday
to Wednesday. The RML team ran their test Lacetti car at the
Dutch circuit, with their three drivers taking turns at the
wheel.
Alain Menu, the only Chevrolet man who had previously raced
in Zandvoort, took the basic set up by himself on Monday.
And this also enabled him to test on the dry track. Nicola
Larini and Rob Huff took over from Tuesday morning, in wet
conditions.
Despite the weather, the team was able to make the last technical
adjustments before the start of the season and the Lacetti
covered a total of 800 km over the three days, which stretched
the total distance covered by Chevrolet during their winter
tests to 6,000 km.
ZANDVOORT SUITS THE SEAT LEÓN
SEAT Sport also attended the test in Zandvoort. The team’s
four drivers tested on Thursday (Gabriele Tarquini and Michel
Jourdain) and Friday (Jordi Gené and Yvan Muller).
“We went to Zandvoort to learn the track and to adapt
our cars and drivers to it,” explained team manager
Antonio Rodriguez. “In this respect it was a very positive
experience, because we have discovered that the circuit suits
the León very much. We were able to test both in the
wet and the dry, therefore we will be prepared when we come
back for the race meeting.”
PRIAULX DISCOVERS THE LONG TRACK
Although Andy Priaulx and the BMW Team UK have tested in
Zandvoort many times, on Thursday and Friday the reigning
World Champion drove for the first time on the long track.
“Everybody says that we know Zandvoort like nobody
else,” team manager Bart Mampaey said. “But the
truth is that we always tested on the short track. Therefore
for us this was an important occasion to know the long one.
Personally I’m very happy that we’ll come to race
here, because we feel welcome by the people of the circuit
and by the Dutch fans.”
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