Photo: WTCC Media

SEAT aims to win again at Curitiba

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Having finished third in 2005 and second in 2006, SEAT Sport begins the 2007 FIA World Touring Car Championship on Sunday 11 March in Brazil with only one aim – to go one better for the third consecutive season and win the Manufacturers’ title for the first time.

Curitiba is a fast, bumpy and difficult circuit, located on a plateau 932 metres above sea level, making it a spectacular venue to begin the new season. It will also see the first rolling start in the WTCC, with the second race remaining as a standing start. This format will be the same at all WTCC race meetings in 2007.

If last year’s inaugural race in Brazil is an indication of what to expect this time around, then the nine-turn Curitiba circuit is a good place for SEAT Sport’s challenge to start. Five SEAT Leóns filled the top six places in the first race in 2006, with Jordi Gené (Spain) scoring victory and breaking the S2000 lap record.

Gabriele Tarquini (Italy) made his Curitiba track debut with SEAT Sport last year, achieving 10 consecutive points-scoring finishes with a 4th and 5th in the two races. Yvan Muller (France) raced with 55kgs of success ballast in 2006, but with 45kgs less he’ll be aiming to find a good set-up and avoid the panel-damaging incidents which ruined his races in Brazil last year. WTCC rookie Michel Jourdain Jr (Mexico) is looking forward to making his touring car debut in Brazil, after a successful career in IRL, Champ Car and NASCAR racing.

Technical analysis

Antonio Rodríguez, SEAT Sport Team Manager: “As you can see from the results, Curitiba was a very good track for us last year. With a very long start-finish straight, heavy braking into corners and the many bumps, weight is one of the most important aspects at Curitiba. Last year we went to Brazil in the middle of the season and the BMWs came with a lot of weight. Now, at the beginning of a new season, we all arrive with the same weight, so for sure this time things will be much more difficult for us.”

Driver quotes

Jordi Gené (SEAT León nº 9): “Curitiba comes very early in the season, but for me it’s a good place to start the World Touring Car Championship because I like the track very much. I won the first race in Brazil last year, so I’d like to repeat that victory. That’s the aim, but it won’t be easy. I’ll hope Duncan Huisman isn’t behind me this time, as he crashed into me in the second race last year!”

Michel Jourdain (SEAT León nº10): “Everything will be new for me in Curitiba – the car, the team, the track, the competition and even racing in touring cars ­– so I want to make sure I don’t make any big mistakes. I have to learn about what happens in the free practice session and then I’d like to have a good qualifying session and finish both races. I need laps in the car and to come away from Curitiba with a good feeling and something to build on for the rest of the season. I’m looking forward to it.”

Yvan Muller: (SEAT León nº12): “With one victory and seven podiums, last year was quite a good season for me and this year I am looking to improve. Curitiba was difficult for me last year because we were carrying a lot of weight and we didn’t find a good set-up on the bumpy circuit. This time I hope we will do much better in Curitiba.”

Gabriele Tarquini (SEAT León nº 11): “Last year the performance of the León at Curitiba was very good, even though I was carrying 40kgs of success ballast. It’s a difficult circuit, because it’s so bumpy and it’s almost one thousand metres above sea level, but I still finished 4th and 5th in the two races, so I was happy. I have a good feeling about this year, although we don’t know exactly the potential of the competition yet.”