Photo: Lada Sport Rosneft

Nicky Catsburg frustrated by technical issues in Japan

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Lada Sport’s Nicky Catsburg failed to finish both races in Motegi, following power steering problems on his Lada Vesta WTCC in both races, and hopes to work on himself and with the team on solving the driving and reliability issues that have plagued them in recent races.

Catsburg started last in race one following an engine change at the start of the weekend, but his race lasted less than two corners when his steering failed.

“After Turn 1 I was fighting with (Tiago) Monteiro and (Stefano) D’Aste, and when I was next to Monteiro I realised I couldn’t steer anymore,” said Catsburg to TouringCarTimes. “I hit the brakes, went on the grass, touched someone and spun around. We came back in, made some adjustments and put the steering wheel right, as obviously race two was important (starting second on the grid), and the car seemed OK after that.”

With the reverse grid for race two, Catsburg had a realistic shot at taking the Vesta’s first win in the WTCC, but a slow start compared to the Hondas and Citroëns around him, saw him buried in the pack before his steering again let him down.

“I felt I had a reasonable start, but I got passed by three cars. Then at the first turn I was on the wrong side and got hit and overtaken, and the same at Turn 2, then I was in a good fight with (Sébastien) Loeb, but then I felt problems with the power steering again…then it settled but then suddenly I turned in for a corner and the steering wheel didn’t work anymore, so in both races it was the same problem.”

The Dutch driver admits some of the issues he’s experience this season has been of his own making, such as the crash at Vila Real, but the handling and technical issues which also affected Rob Huff and new team-mate Nicolas Lapierre in Motegi, are preventing Lada from taking the best results from the race weekends.

“It’s really frustrating, especially as Rob (Huff) did an amazing job, and we should be able to do that as well but it never comes out in the races,” added Catsburg.

“In the races I always have something go wrong, partly in the car, partly me, and we need to work that and we can finally score some good results, as at the moment my best race in the WTCC was on my first weekend when I finished fourth, and after that it’s all been very bad to be honest.”