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Only two weeks after winning the Dunlop MSA
British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), Fabrizio Giovanardi is back behind the wheel of the number 1 VX Racing Vauxhall Vectra.
It is the first time Giovanardi has carried the
winner’s mark since joining the BTCC in 2006 and he says it was a very satisfying moment.
“I
was obviously happy to
see the number one!” said the eight-time touring car champion. “But the
team and myself are already fully focused on next year. Only if
we put 100% into the winter testing now will we be number one again
next year, and this is our aim!”
On Friday the Italian was testing at Silverstone,
which is set to be reintroduced into the BTCC calendar in 2008, and then everyday this week the team has been out at Pembrey,
Wales.
Giovanardi said it is not unusual to start the
testing schedule in October. “We have finished the championship very late,” said the eight-time touring car champion.
“It’s better to run in England before we have winter.
“Last
year we went to Spain during the
winter; the weather is good but the circuit is completely different so
the feedback is different. We decided to make a few tries in England
before
Spain this year to modify the car.”
In
this test the team looked for ways to make
the Vauxhall Vectra’s settings more adaptable after erring on the side
of caution during the season, careful not to endanger VX Racing's
championship ambitions by taking risks.
“I
said during the year that the car
could still be developed to be even better,” said Giovanardi. “But we
had no time in the championship to explore. We were in the fight
from beginning to end.
“The changes they have made so
far are not big but I am happy; it is a very positive step.”
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