WestCoast Racing and its trio of drivers, Gianni Morbidelli, Kevin Gleason and Igor Skuz, have relatively modest ambitions for the fifth round of the 2015 TCR International Series at Italy’s historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza (23-24 May), with strong points finishes the main objective.
A one-two-three finish, two podiums and a pole position are the highlights of WestCoast Racing’s season in the newly-inaugurated TCR International Series, which has so far visited four countries on two continents, with the next port-of-call being Italy and the historic Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
The Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix venue is steeped in history and its high-speed configuration will expose any weakness in engine performance and aerodynamic efficiency, as drivers spend most of the 5.79km lap on throttle.
Italy’s ‘Temple of Speed’, situated north of Milan in the Royal Villa of Monza Park, has a remarkably similar layout to when it was first opened in 1922, except now its long acceleration zones are punctuated by the Variante della Roggia, Retifilio and Ascari chicanes that were installed to control speeds, thus improving safety.
The fifth round of the TCR International Series is Morbidelli’s home event and the ex-F1 racer from Pesaro, Italy would like nothing more than return to winning ways on Monza’s hallowed asphalt and stand aloft the iconic podium.
However, Morbidelli is realistic and is taking a balanced view of what might be achievable at Monza based on recent events, saying: “My intention is always to push hard and do as much as I can to achieve results and it would be nice to have something to celebrate with my sponsors and friends who will be at Monza to give me extra support. We have only really bettered the SEAT and Audi cars once this season in Shanghai, therefore I have to be realistic about our chances this weekend.
“I’m a little worried about our performance on what is a fast circuit that places the emphasis on power. I know the circuit very well, having raced there many times before, and you need a car that is not only fast on the straights, but is also strong on the brakes and can handle the high kerbing. Maybe something will change for Monza and we will have a car that is capable of competing. I don’t want to be faster than the competition, I just want to race on a level playing field and I trust the championship will get it right soon.”
Portugal podium finisher Gleason, meanwhile, is keen to taste the spoils of victory having already stood on the second and third steps of the podium, but, like Morbidelli, is moderating his expectations for the Italian leg of the TCR International Series on the sacred Monza circuit.
“I shook down the car at Monza over 15 laps, but racing there is going to be special and it’s something to tick off the bucket list,” said Gleason. “The track has so much history with F1 and Ferrari, and I think touring cars will be fun to race on the long straights. I’m expecting there to be a lot of drafting and this will be particularly important for setting a good lap time in qualifying, with a lot of hard racing and position changes in the races.
“It’s difficult to slipstream with your teammates in qualifying so I just have to try to be in the right place at the right time to ensure I can pitch a draft from one of the quicker cars. The core aim every weekend is to win and I’m certainly searching for the illusive first victory, having achieved second and third-place results this season. However, I just want two strong finishes in both races at Monza – I’ll be satisfied if I’ve done the best I can.”
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