Season start exceeded expectations for Coronel

Tom Coronel only just missed out on a race win in the second race of the FIA World Touring Car Championship premiere after Alain Menu squeezed past. But the Dutch BMW-driver was nonetheless pleased.
“I came home in second place and to be honest, that was more than what my team principals Roberto Ravaglia and Umberto Grano and I had hoped for,” said Coronel.

Coronel took the start of the second race and pulled up a gap initially. But Menu reeled him at half point of the race and was able to get past after the both made contact in the first corner.

“My gap got smaller and Alain Menu overtook me on the inside where I didn’t expect him. Just like in the first race, I decided to stay behind him and I kept hoping for Menu to make a mistake. He did so indeed, but not enough for me to overtake him,” said Coronel.

Team manager and legendary touring car racer Roberto Ravaglia was pleased with the result from the premiere races and believes that there is more to come from the BMW 320 TC.

“I am more than satisfied with the weekend’s result: after finishing the car assembly we did have just the time to shake it down before shipping everything to Brazil therefore our target for Curitiba was to finish in the top five – six positions. Track’s result went beyond our expectations instead and confirmed the quality of the development work done by BMW Motorsport on the 320 TC,” said Ravaglia.

Coronel finished fourth in the first race and claimed a total of 30 points in the premiere weekend, placing him fourth in the standings.

“We have proven that we are competitive and that is giving us a good feeling. Especially with the next race taking place in Zolder in Belgium. I am expecting a lot of Dutch fans there and I hope for a good result,” said Coronel.

Do not miss Coronel’s video from the season premiere in Brazil: