Proteam working hard on 2010 season

After having signed Stefano d’Aste, Proteam are working on the 2010 season. The presence of the Italian outfit has been uncertain until the 2007 Independents’ champion signed the deal for the full season. The car d’Aste is going to use, which features the new facelift of the 3 series used on the works BMWs since Marrakech, has already been shipped, but a lot more is going on behind the scenes.

A major change in Proteam has taken place, with historic and successful engineer Renaud Dufour being replaced by former Grand Prix engineer Marco Calovolo. The Italian worked with Lada and Honda Hartmann in 2009, following James Thompson. The team will carry out some testing in Magione to make sure Calovolo gets to grips with the 320si, trying different setup solutions, as well as giving d’Aste the chance to get some mileage in.

Proteam are still looking for a driver to partner d’Aste. After Adrian Campos Jr. had tested the car, rumours placed him in the Tuscany-based outfit for the 2010 season, but at the moment nothing is confirmed and nothing has changed since. Speculations have also placed Hernàndez in contention for the drive, after BMW Team Italy-Spain withdrew from the World Touring Car Championship. The Spaniard is said to be open to many opportunities, though, and it is rumoured that he’s talking to several BMW Independent teams in order to choose what he feels to be the best solution.

Only one BMW has been shipped to Brazil, but things can change very quickly. Any deal will have to be finalized very shortly, in order to prepare the material in the best possible way.