Photo: WTCC Media

Andrea Barlesi confirmed for SUNRED

Andrea Barlesi is going to drive for SUNRED Engineering in the 2012 FIA World Touring Car Championship.
“I looked at the various options to carry on my career in Endurance this season, in particular in World Endurance Championship, but none of them allowed me to fight in the front. I decided at the end to change category, and it was at this moment when the opportunity to join the WTCC with SunRed showed up,” said Barlesi.

The 20-year-old Italian is going to be team mate with already confirmed SUNRED Engineering driver Tiago Monteiro.
“I am delighted to be the team mate of Tiago. We worked in the same team last year in the 24 Heures du Mans and we had immediatly a good feeling together. I count on his experience to make me improved as fast as possible. I am certain that driving in such a championship is going to give me the opportunity to have an even more complete business card,” said Barlesi.

Barlesi has previously been in endurance with sports cars, claiming the title in the Formula Le Mans series in 2010 for DAMS.
“I just put my career in Endurance in parenthesis, I have the opportunity, thanks to SUNRED and Seat, to compete in one of the most prestigious championship. My objective remains to integrate a manufacturer team into the horizon 2013-2014 and touring is the category where you need to be, as from 2013, new manufacturers will be officially present. However it is not excluded seeing me participating in the 24 Heures du Mans next June,” said Barlesi.