Muller, Huff And Menu Confident About 2010 Ahead Of Season-Opener In Brazil
The long wait for WTCC fans is about to finish, as teams, drivers and cars head to Brazil for the first event of the 2010 season. TheAutódromo Internacional de Curitiba, in the Southern state of Paraná, is again hosting theseason-opener of the world’s leading touring car series. Chevrolet is embarking on its sixth yearin the competition with a strong determination to fight for the title.After a first race season in 2009, the Cruze is now ready to show its full potential and the team is
very positive about the development and fine-tuning work done during the winter. The driver lineuphas been strengthened with the addition of former WTCC champion Yvan Muller alongsideRob Huff and Alain Menu, and the entire Chevrolet family is behind its drivers as they finalizepreparation for the 2010 campaign.
This season will also see Chevrolets entered for the full-season in the Independents’ Trophy,thanks to UK-based Bamboo Engineering, who will run two cars for Chinese driver DarrylO’Young and Briton Harry Vaulkhard.
• QUOTES
Yvan Muller (Car # 6): “The time has come to start a new season and to make my debut at thewheel of a Chevrolet, so I am really keen to be in Curitiba! This will also be the first realopportunity to see where the competition stands. Personally, I am convinced that everybody hasprogressed, but we need to see how big a step forward has been made by each manufacturer.Although these questions are quite usual at this time of the year, my inner feeling is that it will bea very competitive and close championship, as in previous years. I think we should be OK inCuritiba, but much will depend on qualifying and also on how well we will play with slip streaming,always a crucial factor in Curitiba”.
Rob Huff (Car # 7): “I was at MIRA yesterday for some final aero testing with the Cruze. I amvery excited about this season, and I think that all the work done has been very helpful. We aredefinitely in a better situation now that the Cruze is in its second race year and I am very anxiousto be in Curitiba and to work with Alain and Yvan. This year, we really have to go for bothchampionships. Regarding Curitiba, I certainly like the circuit more than the circuit seems to likeme! But I hope it will be like Valencia, where last year I eventually I could break the jinx”.
Alain Menu (# 8): “I am reasonably optimistic ahead of this 2010 season. Last week’s test inValencia has definitely convinced me that we have made good progress with the Cruze duringthe winter and that the car is now in a position to be consistently competitive throughout theseason and on all types of tracks. My personal goal is to be on the podium in Curitiba, I think it’san achievable goal. Last year we were second-fastest in Q1 there and Curitiba is a circuit I like,although changing weather conditions are sometime an issue. My biggest hope, though, is to beable to go unscathed through the first corner, contrarily to last year! In truth, my biggest wish for2010 is to have more fair-play on the track and not live again what I had to endure in 2009, whenin 12 out of 24 races I fell victim of other competitors”.
Ron Hartvelt: “The RML team has done a tremendous amount of work since the end of lastseason in Macau, and I am confident that the Cruze has made good progress. We have beenfocusing on the balance of the car, on trying all types of set-ups and the fact that a new driver likeYvan has joined the team has helped exploring new set-up directions. The 2010 Cruze has anumber of technical evolutions, mostly fine-tuning of many areas, such as front suspension setupand differential. We have also improved engine reliability and performance. In Brazil we willsee where we stand, but I am convinced that this year we will have the pace to battle in front andcompete for the championship”.
Eric Nève: “It has been a busy winter and RML and Chevrolet are now ready to take up thechallenges put forward by this new season. I am sure we have worked in the right direction, butalso that our competitors have not been hibernating, so it is going to be a closely-fought battle asalways. The important thing will be to be consistent throughout the season and to get heavypoints everywhere. This is definitely our objective ahead of the first race in Curitiba, which intheory is the most favorable to us among the two South-American events, and this will have tobe our objective at every race, if we want to fight for the title”.
CURITIBA RACE SCHEDULE (Local time = CET - 4 hours)
Friday, 5th March 201015:00-15:30 (19:00-19:30 CET) TestingSaturday, 6th March 201009:00-09:30 (13:00-13:30 CET) Free Practice 112:30-13:00 (16:30-17:00 CET) Free Practice 216:00-16:35 (20:00-20:35 CET) QualifyingSunday, 7th March 201010.15-10:30 (14:15-14:30 CET) Warm up14:20-14:45 (18:20-18:25 CET) Race 1 (14 laps = 51.730kms) (Rolling start)15:35-16:00 (19:35-20:00 CET) Race 2 (14 laps = 51.730kms) (Standing start)
CURITIBA WTCC ON TVIn Europe, qualifying, warm up and the races are be broadcasted live on Eurosport International.
