Chevrolet completes Cruze test program

Chevrolet have completed their final test ahead of the season start of the FIA World Touring Car Championship 2009 in Brazil.
“The last pre-season test always feels like the last inspection to your car before leaving for holidays with all the luggage and the entire family! So,we really hope that everything is under control, although we know we are only at the beginning of the development work,” said Eric Néve, Chevrolet Motorsport manager.

The team tested with BMW and SEAT at the Spanish track Valencia. The team still has got a lot of work with the brand new Cruze-model and touring car legend and Chevrolet-man Alain Menu is anxious to see where they stand in the competition.

“We are progressing in learning more and more about the new Cruze and the car feels nice to drive. Still, testing time is never enough when you are working with a new car, especially when weather conditions do not help! For sure, there is still a lot of work to do and we are anxious to be in Curitiba, where we will know where we really stand vis-à-vis the competition,” said Menu.

Long time Chevrolet-driver Nicola Larini was present during the recent tests and is optimistic ahead of the season start, but also a bit disappointed on the weather during the pre-season testing.

“It’s a pity that in Valencia too weather conditions where not optimal, but the good news is that we could advance with the development work, testing different set-up packages for Curitiba, without encountering any major problem.

It is always very difficult to judge your potential before the season starts, as you don’t have any real reference about the competitors, and it is even more so when you are working with a brand new car, like the Cruze, but I feel that we are heading in the right direction.”

Ron Hartvelt is the Chief Race Engineer of the works Chevrolet team in the WTCC and was equally happy with the now completed test program.

“We are happy with the work we could achieve in Valencia. Out of the three days we spent here, only a few hours on day 2 were spoilt by the rain, this is much better than what we had in previous tests in Portugal! We brought here two brand new cars, which had gone through their shake-down last week in the UK, and the main objective was to test the new aerodynamic package and the balance of the car. It was a positive three-day session, as we could perform some good mileage and obtain the information we expected”.