Pepe Oriola surprised by pace on first run in the Chevrolet

Tuenti Racing’s Pepe Oriola was surprised by his own lap time at the end of the first free practice session at Porto. The 19-year-old Spaniard switches to the Chevrolet Cruze this weekend after driving a SEAT since he joined the WTCC in 2011.

Oriola’s time of 2:08.385 was good enough for third at the end of the first 30 minute practice session at the Porto street track, just 0.051 seconds shy of three-time champion Yvan Muller’s time.

“It feels good. It doesn’t feel like you’re going so fast, but at the end I see the lap time and it’s quite fast,” said Oriola to TouringCarTimes, “so I’m impressed by that but this car is the best on the grid so it’s a pleasure to be driving it.”

Oriola will finish the last half of the season in the triple-championship winning Chevrolet Cruze run under the Tuenti Racing Team banner with support from RML, and the Spanish driver who took his first race victory in Marrakech has a modest target for the remaining rounds.

“Our goal is to be in the top five and if something else comes it’s really welcome, and I hope some podiums and some victories will come too. ”