Photo: Tom Coronel Media

Tarquini and Coronel confirmed as teammates

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Reigning World Champion Gabriele Tarquini will partner reigning Independents Champion Tom Coronel in the SUNRED SEAT team in 2010. After weeks of speculation it has at last been confirmed that SUNRED Engineering will run Tarquini and Coronel in a pair of SEAT Leon TDI’s, giving the Italian the chance to defend his World title won in Macau last year.

Despite not being an official works team, SEAT Sport boss Jaime Puig has promised full support to the teams entering SEAT’s in the WTCC, so it comes as no surprise to see Tarquini and Coronel end up with the SUNRED team, based close to the SEAT Sport facility in Martorell.

Commenting on the announcement, 37-year-old Coronel said, “With this package I have a better chance than ever to score. I can’t wait for the season to start. I always said that I wanted to have a diesel car. At last I managed to get one. With this car we can fight for podium places on a regular basis.

“It is fantastic to be in one team with Tarquini. The World Champion and the winner of the privateer championship together in one team, it can’t be better, can it?”

2010 will be the fifth consecutive season that Coronel will drive a SEAT in the WTCC, but the first in which he earns a diesel machine. The Dutchman is no stranger to the team however, as SUNRED ran the SEAT Team Holland for whom Coronel has driven in the past two seasons.

“Over the last two years we have developed a great relationship and I really feel at home here”, said Coronel. “Of course the team has close ties with SEAT Sport and their workshop is just around the corner. This makes collaboration more efficient.”

Coronel also confirmed earlier in the day to Autosport.nl that he had turned down an offer from the Wiechers Sport to participate in their BMW.

SUNRED Engineering have already confirmed a Leon TDI for double ETCC Champion Michel Nykjaer, while a deal for Timur Sadredinov looks likely to be announced shortly, with the Russian and Dane joining up under a second banner, with precise details said to be the matter of negotiations with WTCC promoter Marcello Lotti.