Photo: WTCC Media

Honda to race at the Nürburgring to prepare for 2015 event

After recently taking part in a VLN race at the Nürburgring in a Honda Civic Type R, Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro will return to the track to participate in the ADAC Barbatossapreis 4hrs in the Civic TC1, as used by the team in the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

The Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team will use the event as a preparation for next year’s debut of the legendary Nordschleife in the WTCC. As both of the team’s race cars are currently being shipped to Asia, the team will use the test car.

“It will be a very useful experience”, said Managing Director Alessandro Mariani. “It will give our drivers the chance to get to grips with the track, and it will also be a chance for the team to understand how to prepare for next year’s race.”

The team will then head on to Hungaroring and Slovakiaring for further testing, with the aim of developing the car ahead of the Asian rounds.

Monteiro confirmed the team is looking for improvements.

“In China we will have an extra 10 kilos of compensation weight, which will allow our opponents to get closer, so we will have to work a lot to be ready.

“We recently tried several solutions, but they did not always work, especially in race conditions, when we were in Argentina. That’s why we will keep on working hard to be fully ready for the Asian leg of the championship.”