LADA SPORT ROSNEFT will hope to rise again in the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) Race of Japan at Twin Ring Motegi (2-4 September) after its Argentinean podiums drought.
The Russian manufacturer-backed team found an extra gear in 2016, as drivers Nick Catsburg, Gabriele Tarquini and Hugo Valente have raced consistently to top three results and even victories n what has transpired to be the most competitive WTCC season in years.
A one-two finish at LADA’s home, Moscow Raceway, still stands out as the highlight of a rewarding campaign, but the previous round in Argentina proved challenging and there’s a keen desire to return to form and achieve the sort of results the team has become accustomed to.
Twin Ring Motegi’s 4.8km lap consists of long straights and tight turns that provide plenty of overtaking opportunities and Valente and Tarquini starred on the WTCC’s first visit to the Japanese circuit in 2015, both racing to podium finishes as LADA SPORT scaled the third step of the winners’ rostrum in Race Two.
Catsburg said: “Twin Ring Motegi is a nice flowing circuit with a lot of slow-to-medium speed corners where traction is important. The last sector is very difficult because of the last corner – braking into the last corner is very tricky – but I think the LADA Vesta will be strongest in sector one. It depends a little bit on how much the ballast will affect us in Motegi. The best place for overtaking is probably in the first sector where you have a couple of big braking zones.”
Valente said: “I love Japan and I was happy to get on the podium at Twin Ring Motegi last year because the previous season I was second until I lost the position two laps from the end. Argentina was a frustrating weekend for me with two DNFs. Being the quickest LADA in qualifying was only a very small consolation so I am hoping for a better weekend in Japan. I am confident our pace will improve compared to what we saw in Argentina.”
Tarquini said: “I think we could be successful in Japan. The track suits the LADA Vesta and I like Twin Ring Motegi too, last year I finished 3rd here in Race 1. Of course we will try to do our best to have more wins and podiums until the end of the season”.