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Reigning HiQ MSA British Touring Car Champion Fabrizio Giovanardi
reckons there are as many as ten drivers waiting to steal his crown
away in 2008.
Vauxhall’s Italian ace begins the
defence of his title at Brands Hatch this Sunday (30 March), but
believes it is not just SEAT rival Jason Plato – who he pipped to last
year’s crown – that he needs to worry about.
Having flown in today from his hometown of Modena, Giovanardi told
BTCC.net: “I am quite sure he (Plato) will not be my only rival this
year – I really mean there are ten drivers who will win races and can
be there at the end.
“My Vauxhall Vectra VXR has
performed very well in testing at Brands Hatch and I know we will be
one of the best cars there, but it’s not so easy. It is so wide open.”
And
it is not necessarily the likes of Plato or Vauxhall team-mate – and
former double champion Matt Neal – who Giovanardi believes could be his
biggest threat on Sunday when the BTCC’s 50th anniversary season gets
under way.
Giovanardi added: “Mat Jackson in the BMW is looking very good – he was fastest in testing at Brands and also Rockingham.
“Although he is still young he did a very good first season last year. I am expecting a strong Mat Jackson in 2008.”
Giovanardi’s BTCC title last year was the eighth major touring car championship that he has won around the world.
His
experience tells him that the concerns some rivals have about the pace
of Plato’s new turbocharged diesel-powered SEAT Leon may be ill-founded.
The
41-year-old explained: “The diesel SEAT has been very fast in world
touring cars but it won’t be easy for the team in the UK – the racing
is different, the circuits are different and the tyres are different.
“I think SEAT will find it hard to just transfer all the information over to the UK-spec car and win straight away.
“The
engine may be very powerful, but here that might not be such a good
thing all the time – it could cause the cars serious tyre problems at
some circuits.”
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