RML
Team News
RML Chevrolet retains driver line-up for 2008.
Issued January 8th 2008
Driving
trio return for RML Chevrolet
RML Chevrolet’s record-breaking 2007 driver line-up
will join forces for the fourth consecutive season in the
2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC).
Alain
Menu, Nicola Larini and Rob Huff again team-up to pilot
the three Lacettis, following the squad’s most successful
WTCC season to date in 2007.
Alain
took five victories, all from pole position in 2007, the
most over the course of any WTCC season. RML Chevrolet took
seven wins from 22 starts, representing a win rate of 32%,
also leading more laps than any other team. Alain also topped
the charts for the most laps led over the season with 64.
Eric Nève, motorsport manager of Chevrolet Europe,
said: “Our programme has always been set on continuous
improvement, so we need to take the best advantage of the
solid foundation work we have been able to layer over the
years. Last season was the culmination of three and a half
years of hard and dedicated work by all those involved in
the programme. Together, our drivers have visited the podium
18 times, scoring seven wins and two triplets. 2007’s
result was also due to the relentless development work done
by the entire RML team and the thousands of miles the drivers
drove the Chevrolet Lacetti in tests to find that little
extra. On top of that all three get along very well and
are good brand ambassadors, which are important elements
to us as well. The decision about your driver line-up is
never easy because one has to evaluate a lot of elements
like speed, motivation amd improvement skills, which is
the reason why we took our time before making that important
move. We are convinced that having Alain, Nicola and Rob
on board again in 2008 will be one of the cornerstones of
our next year’s success.”
Alain
Menu said: “When you have scored five pole positions
and won five races in one season, the one thing you want
to do is stay where you are. I’m sure the new car
will even be better than last year’s, so the challenge
in 2008 will be to have a bit more luck in the second races
and be able to score more points there. The new success
ballast system will in any case force every driver to go
for points at every occasion, so everybody will hopefully
be a bit more careful. My objective for ’08 therefore
is to win the title, but I’m sure quite a few others
have set their sights on that as well, notably Nicola and
Rob.”
Nicola Larini said: “I’m very happy to sign
again with RML Chevrolet. It’s nice to stay with a
team with which I have experienced three years of excellent
results. These past three seasons have brought about some
solid bonds within the team, as we were all there right
from the beginning; from when we were merely following the
others to last year, when we were leading. I’m sure
the stability within the team will bring lots more wins
for RML Chevrolet next year.”
Rob
Huff said: “I’m very pleased to be part of the
RML Chevrolet team again in 2008. This year we had our most
successful season yet, so I think it’s fair to say
that in ’08 each of us will try to go for the title.
We know the car is excellent, we know what it takes to win
races, so now all we have to do is to stick together for
a solid season without too many mishaps and it could three
blue cars going for the title in Macau in November.”
More
information about the FIA World Touring Car Championship
from www.fiawtcc.com
More information on RML is available at www.rmlmallock.co.uk.
More information on Team Chevrolet is available at www.chevroleteurope.com
More information on Chevrolet UK is available at www.chevrolet.co.uk