Coronel to take on van den Goorbergh, car vs. bike

SR-Sport driver Tom Coronel will challenge former MotoGP rider Jurgen van den Goorbergh at a lap at Oschersleben in a SEAT Supercopa vs. KTM RC8

On the Saturday before the next round of the WTCC on September 5th, Tom Coronel will attempt to beat his countryman in a one lap battle at the German circuit.

Jurgen van den Goorbergh, whose last full season in MotoGP was in 2002, and World Supersport in 2004 – also contested the Dakar Rally last year finishing 17th on his first attempt.

Jurgen will be riding KTM’s RC8 200bhp Super bike against Coronel, who will be racing in a 300bhp SEAT León Supercopa, as featured in the World Touring Car Championship’s support race package.

“Of course I’ll win, there’s no way a guy on a motorbike is going beat me,” said Coronel.

“I have the advantage that I know the track and the SEAT like the back of my hand. Bikes just don’t appeal to me in the same way, I prefer four wheels over just two. But I have the greatest admiration for the riders. The stunts these guys perform are amazing, I couldn’t do it myself. But my grandfather was a pretty good rider himself, and my brother Tim and I have the speed bug – I think it must be in our genes.”

van den Goorbergh has not tried the RC8 yet, nor raced at Oschersleben before, so the cards are stacked against him.

“I haven’t raced for a while, and am still recovering from an awkward injury I picked up during training for the Erzberg Rodeo,” said van den Goorbergh

“But it’ll be OK. I hope there are two mirrors on the SEAT, because then he’ll be able to see me coming.”