A favourite among drivers and fans alike, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is a classic and challenging racetrack that will test the mettle of WestCoast Racing and its counterparts on the TCR International Series’ maiden visit to Belgium’s Ardennes Forest (6-7 May).
The 2016 TCR International commenced under the gaze of tens of thousands of Formula 1 fans alongside the Bahrain Grand Prix, and Rounds 5 and 6 will be played out as part of another prestigious support package.
The FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) 6 Hours of Spa is this weekend’s headline act, but the TCR International Series holds a coveted spot on the billing and an 18-car field stands primed and ready to delight the tens of thousands of trackside spectators with some bumper-to-bumper, door handle-to-door handle touring car action.
WestCoast Racing, meanwhile, returned to winning ways with Gianni Morbidelli last time out in Portugal and there’s hope of a repeat performance from the feisty Italian and his youthful teammates, Finland’s Aku Pellinen and America’s Kevin Gleason.
The aim after a shaky start to the year is to further the Swedish team’s championship charge and Gleason said: “For me, Spa is a bucket list track. It’s widely regarded as one of the best in the world and I feel really lucky to be racing there for the first time this weekend. I expect the circuit’s length, it’s fast corners and high-speed nature to suit me well and one of the best moments will be flying through Eau Rouge – one of the most famous corners in the world – for the first time! It has been such a difficult year for me so far, so I’m just going to drive as best I can.”
Pellinen said: “I am very familiar with Spa, having raced there several times in practically every category I’ve entered. I think that puts me on the front foot going into this weekend, because, not only have I had good results there in previous years, but I know how difficult it is to understand how to extract the most from each of the circuit’s corners and its intricacies. You have to be quite brave and it isn’t a track you can learn in just a few laps. It’s not going to be easy for WestCoast Racing and our rival teams to prepare cars for Spa, but I think we can do a good job together. The podium is my first aim, but I know I need to improve my driving style and the car to prevent silly mistakes, and that I need to be more constant in qualifying and the races.”
WestCoast Racing/Sportpromotion Team Principal, Greger Petersson, said: “It will be a hard weekend, as we are still in the process of developing the cars and improving reliability. As usual, we need some luck. I think Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is a track that suits our strong driver line-up, but we have to remember Gianni (Morbidelli) is on maximum ballast, which we have seen can be hard to carry.”
There is a change in the TCR International Series’ usual format, as two 30-minute free practice sessions will be held at 11.30 and 15.45 on Thursday (5 May), with qualifying at 13.40 and race one at 17.30 on Friday (6 May) afternoon and race two on Saturday (7 May) at 12.35.