RML Motorsport
David Leslie
Digital Image Recorder
Nicola Larini opens RML Chevrolet account with podium finish
07/04/2008
NICOLA LARINI OPENS RML CHEVROLET ACCOUNT WITH PODIUM FINISH
PUEBLA, 6th April 2008 – RML Chevrolet open their account with their first WTCC podium finish of the year courtesy of a strong third place finish by Nicola Larini in the first of the two Mexican races. The Italian touring car ace, author of no less than seven podium finishes last year, gave it all he got to fence off the opposition on the twisty Puebla track. The other two RML Chevrolet Lacetti drivers, Alain Menu and Rob Huff, both also ran strong races although there was little reward for their efforts. Menu finished eighth in race one – good for pole position on the reversed grid of race two – and seventh in the second event. Rob Huff twice finished in ninth on a track where overtaking is next to impossible.
Nicola Larini (3rd/DNF): "I had a very good start in race 1, but after a few laps I ran wide in Turn 6 and lost second place to a SEAT. I'm of course very happy with my first podium finish of the year, especially on a track I don't particularly like and because I know that I did all I could. Race 2 went quite well in the beginning. I had a good start and a good race, holding on to my position but then I got hit from behind and broke the right rear suspension. We have a very good car this year, so I just can't wait to get to Valencia."
Alain Menu (8th/7th): "In the first race the car was very edgy, requiring all my attention all the time. At some point I ran wide in Turn 13 and clipped the kerbs, which unsettled the car for the next corner were I slid off. I managed to get the car back on the track in eighth position which of course gave me pole for the second race. In that race the car felt a little bit better, although it now had some understeer. I dropped to second at the standing start and although I did my utmost there was just no keeping the turbodiesels behind. On this track we didn't seem to have the necessary grunt, but I'm still happy that I scored points in both races."
Rob Huff (9th/9th): "At the start of the first race I got sideswiped so hard by another car, that it took a chunk of metal out of the wheel rim. After that it was just a case of trying to stick to what we had. In the second race I had a bad start and got passed by Farfus and Priaulx. I managed to get back by both of them again on the following laps and just tried to get in the points. On this track it's virtually impossible to overtake unless the guy in front of you makes a mistake. There's so little grip that it's sometimes worse than racing in the rain on slicks."
Eric Nève: "We got our championship on track, that's the least we can say. We knew before we came here that it would very difficult, if not impossible, to beat the turbodiesels, yet at the same time Nicola showed that this year's Chevrolet Lacetti is a very good car. With Alain making points in both races and Rob twice just missing out by less than a second shows us that in the Lacetti we have the car to match our ambitions."
PUEBLA RACE 1 RESULTS
1. J Gené SEAT Leon TDI 16 laps in 27m12s258
2. R Rydell SEAT Leon TDI + 0s415
3. N Larini RML Chevrolet Lacetti + 3s285
4. T Coronel SEAT Leon + 5s674
5. G Tarquini SEAT Leon TDI + 8s963
6. Y Muller SEAT Leon TDI + 10s129
7. T Monteiro SEAT Leon TDI + 10s342
8. A Menu RML Chevrolet Lacetti + 13s603
9. R Huff RML Chevrolet Lacetti + 13s978
PUEBLA RACE 2 RESULTS
1. T Monteiro SEAT Leon TDI 16 laps in 27m40s930
2. R Rydell SEAT Leon TDI + 4s425
3. G Tarquini SEAT Leon TDI + 5s275
4. Y Muller SEAT Leon TDI + 6s013
5. J Gené SEAT Leon TDI + 8s914
6. T Coronel SEAT Leon + 11s218
7. A Menu RML Chevrolet Lacetti + 13s597
8. A Priaulx BMW 320si + 14s246
9. R Huff RML Chevrolet Lacetti + 14s556
DNF N Larini RML Chevrolet Lacetti Accident damage (10 laps)
DRIVERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 4 OF 24
1. R Rydell (SEAT), 26 points; 2. G Tarquini (SEAT), 24; 3. Y Muller (SEAT), 22; 4. J Gené (SEAT), 10; 5. A Priaulx (BMW), 14;… 10 . N Larini (RML Chevrolet), 6;… 12. A Menu (RML Chevrolet), 3;…
MANUFACTURERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 4 OF 24
1. SEAT, 69 points; 2. BMW, 40; 3. Chevrolet, 28; 4. Honda, 0.
For more information on Chevrolet's World Touring Car Championship programme, please contact:
Eric Nève at Chevrolet Europe
Tel : + 41 79 681 89 76
Web: http://media.chevroleteurope
Notes to editors:
RML was founded by Ray Mallock in 1984.
RML Group comprises six divisions; Motorsport, Automotive, Engines, Historic, Events and X-Pro.
Based in Northamptonshire, England, the company's 4,300 square metre facility includes full design, development, manufacturing and operational support for automotive engineering projects.
RML has achieved success throughout motorsport categories including GT/sportscars, touring cars, rally cars, single seaters and oval speedway cars. In 2008 RML is again competing in the FIA World Touring Car Championship, the Le Mans 24 Hours, and will defend their LMP2 Le Mans Series title. Last year RML produced the spectacular Mercedes-Benz Mclaren SLR 722 GT.
RML work together with a number of specialist official suppliers and technical partners including Autoglym - www.autoglym.co.uk, Beissbarth UK - www.beissbarth.co.uk, DuPont Refinish - www.dupontrefinish.com and Chicago Pneumatic - www.cp.com.
More information on RML is available at www.rmlmallock.co.uk
For further information please contact RML.
Chris Burke-Martin, Sales and Marketing Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 1933 402440
Email: chrisbm@rmlmallock.co.uk
