WTCC LAUNCHED AT BIOPARC VALENCIA
The WTCC Race of Spain was officially launched this afternoon at
Bioparc Valencia, the city's modern and spectacular zoological park that was
inaugurated last year. The park spreads over a surface of 100,000 square metres
and is inspired by the concept of zoo-immersion that casts the visitors straight
into the wild animals' habitat.
Three WTCC cars - Félix Porteiro's BMW, Jordi Gené's SEAT and
Robert Huff's Chevrolet - where exhibited near the area dedicated to the
savannah wildlife, while a number of drivers (including the Spaniards: Porteiro,
Gené, Sergio Hernández and
SEAT's rookie José Manuel Pérez-Aicart) attended the press conference that was
held in the Bioparc's cinema.
Marcello
Lotti, General Manager of KSO, was among the speakers:
"Like the other FIA championships the WTCC is very keen to promote
initiatives which aim to reduce the environmental impact of motoring. Therefore
I believe that this presentation in the Valencia Bioparc proves that wildlife
and motorsport can coexist when we all work together for the
future."
Bioparc's director Koen Brouwer echoed:
"We always welcome everything is done to preserve the environment. Therefore
we were very happy to host the WTCC and we congratulate the FIA for their Make
Cars Green campaign."
JOHN CLELAND JOINS
EUROSPORT
Former Touring Car legend John Cleland
will join Eurosport as WTCC commentator from the event in
Valencia.
For eleven years - from 1989 to 1999 -
Cleland was a leading player in the British Touring Car Championship; he always
raced for Vauxhall, winning 32 races and clinching the championship crown twice,
in 1989 and 1995.
A 56-year old Scotsman, Cleland
replaces his late countryman David Leslie who perished recently in a plane
crash.
Alongside Martin Haven, Cleland will
commentate the whole WTCC season for British Eurosport, in the role of a very special expert as he not only knows very well
the business, but has also raced against some of the current WTCC drivers like
Alain Menu, James Thompson (who was his team-mate at Vauxhall) and Gabriele
Tarquini.
DOUBLE RACING FOR PÉREZ-AICART
This will be an intensive racing weekend for José Manuel
Pérez-Aicart, the young Spanish driver who makes his first WTCC appearance, a
reward for having won the 2007 SEAT León Supercópa.
Besides taking part in the WTCC at the wheel of a SUNRED SEAT
León,
the Spaniard will also compete in the GT Open series driving a SR21 car run by
the same team.
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