|
Brazil Hosts Wtcc Battle For Yokohama Advan Runners |
|
|
|
|
Sunday, 02 July 2006 |
Brazil marks the midway point in the 2006 WTCC season and it’s a fantastic championship battle. The top six drivers are separated by an incredible two points and the manufacturer battle is nearly as tight with SEAT lying just three points behind BMW.
Reigning champion Andy Priaulx (BMW) is at the top of the table but tied on 33 points is Yvan Muller the French SEAT driver. Just one point behind, also tied, are Dirk Muller for BMW and James Thompson in another SEAT with Rickard Rydell and Gabriele Tarquini (also SEATs) both on 31 points.
In the Yokohama Independents Cup Tom Coronel seems to be pulling away with 60 points but another fight is on behind him with Stefano D’Aste, Ryan Sharp and Luca Rangoni on 36,35 and 34 points respectively.
Making his 2006 season debut is Fabrizio Giovanardi, 2002 European Touring Car champion. 2005 saw Giovanardi win more races than any other driver, four in total, but he failed to take the title finishing in third place. He will be replacing Pierre-Yves Corthals at the wheel of a JAS Motorsport Honda Accord Euro R in a one-off appearance.
If that wasn’t enough, Brazil has its very own home grown driver in Augusto Farfus driving for Alfa Romeo. Farfus scored a win in the opening round in Italy and had recent success with a second place in that last round in Germany. Being on home turf and with the crowd behind him is sure to be a helping hand.
The Brazilian effort is doubled by the appearance of a local team for this round. Equipe Tekprom will be fielding an Alfa Romeo driven by Lucas Molo. The team has plenty of experience at the Curitiba circuit with a 2005 WTCC 156 Alfa Romeo which has been running on Yokohama tyres. Lucas has had considerable success in endurance racing so he’s bound to be a strong contender this weekend.
All that excitement is even before the cars take to the track for the racing action. All the cars use Yokohama ADVAN tyres to make the competition even more fierce so who will play it safe and who’ll go ‘for broke’ this weekend (July 1st/2nd) at the Curitiba circuit?
The main action is on Saturday with qualifying shown live at 20.00 CET
on Eurosport 2. The two back-to-back races start at 17.45 CET on Sunday
on Eurosport, with highlights shown at 22.00 CET on Eurosport 2.
|
|
Last Updated ( Sunday, 07 January 2007 )
|
