RML
Team News
Another Pdium for Chevrolet. Issued September 24th 2006
Chevrolet
Continues Podium Streak
Chevrolet
driver, Nicola Larini joined his team mates as a WTCC podium
finisher by finishing third in the second of the Istanbul
races, today. It is Chevrolet's fourth podium finish (of
which two wins) this season, clearly confirming Chevrolet's
target to become a podium contender at every round.
Things
did not go all that well in the first race, however. Both
Rob Huff and Alain Menu ran into the same competitor at
different stages and for different reasons, but the result
was the same with Huff finishing a distant 15th and Menu
retiring. "I went inside of Rangoni to overtake him
but he just wouldn't have any of it," Huff said. "He
leaned on me so I gave him some room, but when he turned
in he just chopped me, although I had the corner and clearly
the quicker car as well. That hit disturbed the toe-in on
the front right, which in turn made it difficult to turn
in properly."
Later
in the race, Alain Menu also ran into Rangoni, but this
time the Italian driver was the victim. "My car was
understeering, making it very twitchy under braking,"
Menu said. "On top of that I had a spongy brake pedal,
so when I tried to pass on the inside I unintentionally
hit him. I tried to scrub some speed off by going over the
kerb but I still hit him like a hammer. The damage to my
car meant I couldn't but retire from race 1."
Nicola
Larini, who just like last year in Istanbul had qualified
fastest Chevrolet, drove a strategically clever race by
running in sixth for a long time before dropping back to
seventh, guaranteeing him a first row slot on the grid for
race 2.
Race
2, however, would not start until three hours later as a
rain storm flooded part of the track. On a wet and darkening
Istanbul Park track, Larini made a blitz-start and led from
the first corner. But a daring pass by a competitor saw
both cars touch, bending Nicola's right steering arm. "From
then on it became increasingly difficult to keep the car
on the track. But I could smell my first podium and no matter
how the guys behind me tried, it was unconceivable that
I would let them pass me. All I have to do now is join my
team mates in the WTCC Winners Circle."
Rob
Huff drove his now customary stellar race in the rain, starting
in 15th and moving up to sixth by the finish. "A couple
of cars went off in front off me on the first two laps,
so that helped. Apart from that I had a very good car, although
the fuel pressure sometimes fell away in certain corners."
Alain
Menu ended the second race in the same way he ended the
first: in the pitlane. "I had an excellent first lap,
passing six or seven cars, including Rob. Then, at the start
of the second lap, someone hit me from behind and that was
it. I'm sure that without that incident I could have finished
well in front, maybe even on the podium. It's a pity, but
we know what we are worth and there are still four races
to prove we can be regular podium finishers."
The
next round of the WTCC takes place on October 8th in Valencia,
Spain.
ISTANBUL
RACE 1 RESULTS
1.
A Zanardi (BMW) 10 laps (53.380kms) in 21m19s910
2.
R Rydell (SEAT) + 1s002
3.
G Tarquini (SEAT) + 3s937
4.
D Muller (BMW) +11s685
5.
D Huisman (BMW) +12s005
7.
N Larini (Chevrolet) +16s630
15.
R Huff (Chevrolet) +32s684
20.
A Menu (Chevrolet) +1 lap
ISTANBUL
RACE 2 RESULTS
1.
G Tarquini (SEAT) 10 laps (53.380kms) in 23m06s124
2.
P Terting (SEAT) +0s652
3.
N Larini (Chevrolet) +8s139
4.
R Rydell (SEAT) +8s276
5.
J Gene (SEAT) +8s479
6.
R Huff (Chevrolet) +9s513
DNF
A Menu Accident
DRIVERS
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1.
A Priaulx, 58pts;
2. G Tarquini, 57;
3. R Rydell, 54;
4. D Muller, 51;
5. J Thompson, 49;
13. A Menu, 20;
14. R Huff, 20:
15. N Larini, 14
MANUFACTURERS
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1.
SEAT, 201pts;
2. BMW, 192;
3. Alfa Romeo, 125;
4. Chevrolet, 103.
