RML Motorsport

30/10/2009

OKAYAMA, 30^th October 2009 – The Chevrolet Cruze today took the track for the first time on the Asian continent, as it started the WTCC Race of Japan in Okayama with the traditional Friday testing session. The three Chevrolets finished the session in 8^th (Menu), 10^th (Larini) and 11^th (Huff), after devoting the 30-minute practice to work on the balance and the set-up of the car on the demanding Japanese track rather than looking for performance. 

Alain Menu (8^th): ''While the weather is still dry today, there is more humidity in the air. That, and the fact there are other races this weekend and more cars on the track, including the big LMPs of the Le Mans Series, seems to make the track more slippery than last year, but I am happy with the balance of the car for this very first practice session".  

Nicola Larini (10^th): "I am happy with my result today, taking into account that it's a month since I last raced the Cruze. We worked through the normal jobs that you would do on a testing session, trying to find the right set-up".  

Rob Huff (11^th): "I have some work to do on the balance of the car and the set-up before tomorrow's free practice and qualifying, as I found the Cruze had too much understeer today, but other than that everything seems fine".  

Mark Busfield: "It is the first time the Cruze has run at Okayama, so we are really starting to collect all the relevant information and the parameters we need, to work on the set-up and balance. This is just the beginning of learning the track with the new car, but we are happy with the work done today and looking forward to tomorrow".   

OKAYAMA TESTING RESULTS 

1. Y Muller                   SEAT León TDI                       1m38s518

2. A Farfus                  BMW 320si                             +0s016

3. T Monteiro               SEAT León TDI                       +0s028

4. R Rydell                  SEAT León TDI                       +0s148

5. G Tarquini               SEAT León TDI                       +0s289

8. A Menu                   Chevrolet Cruze                   +0s365

10. N Larini                Chevrolet Cruze                   +0s675

11. R Huff                   Chevrolet Cruze                   +0s755 

For more information on Chevrolet's World Touring Car Championship programme, please contact:  

Michell Seaman at RML, michells@rmlmallock.co.uk Tel: +44 1933 402 440

Web: www.rmlmallock.co.uk

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