After a seven-week break since the Brazilian opening rounds, the teams and drivers of the 2007 World Touring Car Championship are gearing up for the first of nine European rounds, run at the former home of the Dutch F1 Grand Prix in Zandvoort. Most teams already tested here in winter and the drivers are unanimous about the challenge that awaits them in the dunes by the North Sea. Since their winter tests, the Chevrolet team has further updated the 2007-spec of the Chevrolet Lacetti WTC with revised front aerodynamics being the most obvious result of a several months of thorough testing and developing.

The long gap between the first round in Brazil and the second in Zandvoort, next weekend, doesn’t mean that the team hasn’t used the extra time to good effect. Extensive tests have been carried out in the UK as well as in Oschersleben, Zandvoort and Monza and they confirmed the gut feeling everybody had throughout winter: the 2007 Chevrolet Lacetti WTC will be a force to be reckoned with, amply proved by Alain Menu’s fastest overall time in the FIA group test at Oschersleben.

Nicola Larini: “I really want to congratulate the team for the great work done during these tests. It has been an excellent decision to participate in the sessions in Oschersleben and Monza, as we have been able to collect a lot of useful information and manage to confirm we have made real progress. This has been especially true in Oschersleben, as demonstrated by the best time of Alain. On the German track, we were pleased to note that car had a very good grip, something that wasn’t the case on that circuit in the past. In Monza, I have been testing with tyres that had already a lot of Miles and the feeling with the car was excellent as well. It was also useful to test in almost summer conditions, which is what we will have in most of the races from now on, and it was nice to see that we compare well to our competitors. I am quite confident that we will be competitive in Zandvoort”.

Rob Huff: “The car this year is much more responsive to changes than last year, so that obviously is a nice feeling to have as a driver. In the past we always struggled at Oschersleben but now in the test we managed to find a good set-up straight away and work from there. This in turn tells us that the car is a lot more user-friendly to set up changes at a new track like Zandvoort. The race in Holland should suit us, and I quite like the track. It’s a real driver’s track with lots of variety in the corners and despite the lap being almost two minutes long you’re never bored. If we can make it through the first corner we should be aiming for some serious point scoring in both races.”

Alain Menu: “It’ll be good to be racing at Zandvoort again, a track I still know from my DTM days. It’s a real driver’s track, and with the positive result we’ve got from our different tests I think we can really look forward to good results there. Setting fastest in Oschersleben was of course nice, so podium finishes is what all three of us will be aiming for.”

Mark Busfield: “Zandvoort is the first European race of 2007, where we will run our full 2007 car specification for the first time. We've tested the new car extensively since the first race in Brazil at the MIRA Proving grounds, at Rockingham and at Pembrey, as well as during the official KSO tests in Oschersleben and Monza. Even with no racing taking place we have been busy with the cars every week. Other than the revised front aero, the cars will also sport an updated air intake and plenum and a revised suspension set up. All the drivers have now had many, many kilometers in the new spec cars, in private testing as well as in direct “confrontation” with our competitors at the KSO tests. Encouraged by our pace at the recent tests, we are hopeful for some strong results at Zandvoort.”

Eric Nève: “At last, we’re racing again! For us this is almost like the real start of the season with our new car up and running, and quick straight out of the box. I think it is fair to say that we’ve made some more progress since Brazil and that therefore we shall be looking at podium finishes at almost every round. The Zandvoort track suits our car well and from what I hear from the organizers the event itself should be major. Our representatives in Holland are very enthusiastic about the WTCC coming to town. With the overall fan-friendly atmosphere and accessibility of the series, we should see a lot of blue in the grandstands. From a marketing perspective the addition of Zandvoort to the 2007 calendar is definitely a good move.”

ZANDVOORT RACE SCHEDULE

Friday, 4 May 2007

14.00-14.30 Testing
16.30-17.00 Free Practice 1

Saturday, 5 May 2007

11.00-11.30 Free Practice 2
15.00-15.30 Qualifying

Sunday, 6 May 2007

09.30-09.45 Warm up
12.05-12.30 Race 1 (Rolling start)
15.35-16.00 Race 2 (Standing start)


ZANDVOORT WTCC ON TV

Qualifying and the races will be broadcasted live on Eurosport .