Faster In Race Than In Qualifying
MONZA , 10 April, 2005 ? The Chevrolet Racing team took another step forward it their learning process of the 2005 World Touring Car Championship. Alain Menu, Nicola Larini and Rob Huff all finished in the first race of the championship, confirming the Chevrolet Lacetti?s reliability. Huff was the first home of the Chevrolet drivers, finishing race 1 in 20 th position, beaten to the line by just .009 of a second. Larini and Menu both had some minor issues, but also finished race 1 more or less in the positions they had started from.
?That was a great race,? an excited Huff said after race 1. ?I actually set my fastest race lap in lap seven of the nine-lap race (improving on his qualifying time), which clearly shows how good the car is. We still lack top speed, of course, but we?re as quick as anybody else through the corners and we can outbrake anybody. All I had to worry about was a slightly long brake pedal, which is why the team bled the system between the races.? In the second race, however, Huff got acquainted with the WTCC?s typical aggressive driving. ?Some Italian just obliterated me for no reason,? he said after retiring.
Alain Menu still suffered from some oversteer in race 1, most likely as a result from yesterday?s accident, while in the second race he lost third gear early on, causing him to retire. Nicola Larini on the other hand missed his start in race 1. ?I couldn?t see the lights at all,? he said. ?In the race the engine lost power coming out of right hand corners, which might be a fuel pickup problem. Other than that the car is just fine.? Larini proved exactly that by finishing 15 th in race 2, having started 22 nd, achieving a result much better than anybody had realistically hoped for before the start of the weekend.
Hardy Spranger, Executive in charge of Chevrolet Europe, was a happy man in Monza: ?I think that?s quite good for a first race. Rob Huff did a tremendous job in the first race, despite the fact that he?s the youngest of the team. Of course this weekend has been more about experience gathering than anything else, and despite Rob?s off and Alain?s gearbox problem I?m very much looking forward to the next race.?
?Our objective today was to finish with all cars, which we achieved in race 1,? Chevrolet Europe Motorsport Manager, Eric N?ve, said. ?Unfortunately only one car finished race 2. The positive thing of race 2 most certainly was Nicola?s driving performance, finishing much higher than we had possibly expected.?
Rounds 3 and 4 of the 2005 World Touring car Championship take place in Magny-Cours, France, on May 1 st.
MONZA RACE 1 RESULTS
1 D M?ller (BMW) 9 laps in: 18m03s203 (Average: 172.23kph)
2 G Tarquini (Alfa Romeo) + 0m02s465
3 A Farfus (Alfa Romeo) + 0m03s854
4 A Priaulx (BMW) + 0m03s977
5 A Garcia (BMW) + 0m08s088
20 R Huff (Chevrolet) + 0m37s720
22 A Menu (Chevrolet) + 0m44s371
24 N Larini (Chevrolet) + 0m45s767
MONZA RACE 2 RESULTS
1 J Thompson (Alfa Romeo) 9 laps in 18m13s906
2 D M?ller (BMW) + 0m00s530
3 A Garcia (BMW) + 0m00s765
4 J M?ller (BMW) + 0m01s248
5 A Priaulx (BMW) + 0m01s467
15 N Larini (Chevrolet) + 0m33s545
24 A Menu (Chevrolet) + 3 laps
DNF R Huff (Chevrolet) Accident
Efrain.
