 |
  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
| |
||
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| CHEVROLET CONCLUDES WINTER TEST PROGRAMME IN FRANCE |
| First Privateer Lacetti Runs In Magny Cours |
|
MAGNY COURS, 10 March 2006 — The Chevrolet WTCC team finished its winter test programme in Magny Cours, France today. The team had disembarked in France for four days of development tests with all three drivers and cars present. Despite being limited in their track time due to the bad weather, the team still managed to solve a number of smaller earlier issues, making the drivers feel cautiously optimistic for the big FIA test at Monza, later this month.
|
|
“Fortunately we had booked four days of track time, just to be sure to have some dry time, as the weather hadn't been on our side at the earlier tests in Brands Hatch and Albacete,” Team Manager, Mark Busfield said. “We were the only one of the factory teams present with a car for each driver, which obviously helps the drivers in getting the best possible understanding of the 2006-spec Lacetti. Each drove his own car, as well as the others' cars, all three of them set-up in varying specs. Two cars were set up with different suspension settings and weight distribution, which is a new given for us considering we are running a left-hand drive car this year. All three drivers swapped between both cars to get back-to-back impression. Unfortunately we didn't get round to all of our planned suspension work, as we would have needed four hours of dry track time to do so, but we know which direction to go and we will get to that in Monza. We obviously now have a good wet weather set-up on the cars, and we validated the reliability and endurance of some revised 2006-spec components as well. The team now returns to base to make any necessary changes for the Monza test.”
|
|
“We tried out some new ideas and sorted out some older issues,” Rob Huff said. “The Yokohama tyres will be the main variable for us to get used to. We still have to learn the way they work, when they kick in and when they drop off. But so far we can say that it has been a promising start to hopefully a good year.”
|
|
“This was our last major test before we go to Monza,” Chevrolet Europe's Motorsport Manager, Eric Nève said. “Lap time wise we seem to be there, compared to the other teams running at the same venues, but obviously we haven't been helped by the weather.”
|
|
Swiss outfit Team Maurer Motorsport was also present at Magny Cours for their maiden run with the first privateer Chevrolet Lacetti WTC. The team had asked reigning German touring car champion, Mathias Schläppi and reigning Belgian touring car champion, Vincent Radermecker top put the car through its paces for the first time on Thursday.
|
|
“We are obviously flattered by the fact that the championship winning team has chosen Chevrolet to defend their title and I hope they will be able to successfully do so,” Nève said.
|
|
“For us it was a logical step,” team owner, Beat Maurer said. “We were looking for a manufacturer with a long term vision to help us defend our title, and Chevrolet was the right choice for us. It is still early days yet, but so far the collaboration between the factory team and our team is working fine, and the interaction here at the track has been great. As things stand now, we are looking at participating in the WTCC rounds of Magny Cours and Valencia. We had hoped to enter a car in the Oschersleben round, but unfortunately there is a round of the German Championship at the same track on the same weekend, which makes it impossible to convert the car from German-spec tyres and fuel to WTCC-spec tyres and fuel in between races.”
|
|
| > | 19 July 2006 Chevrolet heads to Mexico after intensive tests |
| > | 30 June 2006 Brazilian winter and soccer fever welcome WTCC |
| > | 23 June 2006 Interactive live web conference from Curitiba |
| > |
29 May 2006 Chevrolet Starts Four-Race “World Tour” In Germany |
| > |
19 May 2006 Menu 8th in free practice session |
| > | 10 Mai 2006 Rob Huff Keen To Go Back To Track Of First Touring Car Success |
| > |
21 April 2006 Balances and Calculators As Important as Stopwatches |
| > | 27 March 2006 35 Cars Expected In Closer Than Ever Touring Car Fest |
| > | 22 March 2006 Ideal Conditions At Second Day Of Official Test |
| > | 21 March 2006 Team Sees Winter Promise Confirmed |
| > | 10 March 2006 First Privateer Lacetti Runs In Magny Cours |
| > | 28 February 2006 Learning Process On New Tyres Continues |
| > | 21 February 2006 Drivers Enthused By 2006 Chevrolet Lacetti WTC |
| > | 08 February 2006 Rob Huff Happy With “Comfortable and Smooth” Car |
| > | 30 January 2006 First Customer Cars Will Run In ADAC Procar Championship; WTCC Outing Possible |
| > | 12 January 2006 Continues Involvement in Top-Level Motorsports |
| > | 11 Januar 2006 New Car To Start Testing In February; Customer Cars Available |
 |
|
  |
|
 |
|
