Severe parts shortage amongst Chevrolets after second crash

Pepe Oriola had a typical Macau off at Paiol during the second free practice session on Friday morning, which has intensified a parts shortage concern amongst the Chevrolet RML teams Campos Racing and Münnich Motorsport at the circuit, with the two privateer teams having brought a limited supply of uprights for the weekend.

The Spaniard tapped the wall through the esses, clipping both corners of his Chevrolet Cruze, coming to a halt at the exit of Paiol, causing a red flag interlude during the final practice session of the weekend.

With Hugo Valente having crashed out at the same corner yesterday requiring a similar repair, Campos Racing have borrowed a spare upright from Münnich Motorsport, but should either of the team’s drivers René Münnich or Gianni Morbidelli require it back, it will have to be returned to the German team.

“Today I was trying to push a little bit more, and I touched the walls into the esses, just a classic one, to the inside and then the outside,” said Oriola to TouringCarTimes. “Let’s hope that no one else crashes else we have to give it back,” he added.

“The car is good, I feel confident. The crash was hardly even a mistake, I was just not used to the (width) of the new cars, with the old car I wouldn’t have even have touched.”