Van Lagen comments new Lada driver
Lada are going to introduce a new driver for the World Touring Car Championship race at Porto in Portugal. Lada man Jaap van Lagen comments the matter exclusively for TouringCarTimes.com.
“I’ve heard so many names: Fabrizio Giovanardi, Pierre-Yves Corthals, James Thompson, Duncan Huisman,” said van Lagen in an interview with TouringCarTimes.com.
While the pressure is hard on the Russian manufacturer, the identity of the new driver is going to be kept a secret a while longer.
“There is contact but nobody from Lada Sport is going to reveal the name of the driver that is going to join us in Portugal,” said van Lagen.
The so far secret driver has been signed already and is going to drive the new Priora model for the rest of the season. Van Lagen and team mate Kirill Ladygin are going have to wait until Oschersleben before getting the new Priora.
Team boss and driver Viktor Shapovalov on the other hand is going to retire after the race at Brno.
While Thompson has been reported on many sites as the most likely choice for Lada, the Brit has a busy schedule racing in both the British Touring Car Championship and the Danish Touring Car Championship.
Duncan Huisman has also been linked to the drive but denies the rumors.
“I am not going to drive for Lada in WTCC, as far as I know. But I would like to return to the WTCC and I think Lada are going to be competitive in the near future,” said Huisman to TouringCarTimes.com.
Giovanardi has also been mentioned, but seems to be unlikely due to his hard program with Vauxhall in BTCC.
While Corthals takes part in the Belgian Touring Car Series, driving a SEAT, it is not unlikely that he could be up for the drive.
