Slovakia preview: “Hard task” ahead for Citroën

The FIA World Touring Car Championship is back on track for the Race of Slovakia. The track will host the second event of the year, with several hot topics making it all more exciting even before the race starts.

In the last couple of years Citroën made a clean sweep of victories, although Race 2 was cancelled in 2014 due to heavy rain. Sébastien Loeb has two wins to his name, just like Lada’s new signing Gabriele Tarquini. Yvan Muller, Rob Huff and Tom Coronel won one race apiece since the WTCC started visiting Slovakia back in 2012.

This year, however, things might be different. With the Citroën C-Elysées laden with 80 kilos of ballast against the extra-weight-free opposition, it would be no surprise if the Hondas could actually pull a surprise on the all-conquering French manufacturer, after showing extremely good promise at the season opener at Paul Ricard.

“The start to the season was as tough as we had feared,” said double champion José María López. “We managed to win and we came away from Paul Ricard with lots of positives. In Slovakia, I’m expecting our task to be harder still. We’re going to try to limit the effects of the ballast. It would be fantastic if we could achieve another win. What I’m most looking forward to is the Hungaroring, when the playing field will be levelled.”

WTCC legend Yvan Muller echoed his team-mate: “I think it’s going to be difficult this time around. We estimated that the ballast cost us a second a lap over 3.841 km at Le Castellet. Over six kilometres, that would put pole position out of reach, but that’s only in theory. I feel like our season really begins in Hungary. We’ll have to perform strongly there to make up for the points we’ve conceded in the early part of the season.”

For the first time since 2013, Honda actually arrives in Slovakia leading the Manufacturers’ championship by one point, whereas José María López leads Honda’s Tiago Monteiro by just four points.

“Paul Ricard produced a fantastic result for us,” said Monteiro. “That was on a circuit that hasn’t usually been so good for the Honda either. The Slovakia Ring is a totally different kind of circuit with very few slow corners, so handling is key and this is an area in which the Civic is really fantastic. There are also a couple of long straights, which should provide good opportunities to overtake. I finished second in Slovakia in 2013 and I’d be surprised if, as a team, we can’t at least repeat that this weekend.”

Team-mate Rob Huff is also confident ahead of the second weekend of the race: “It’s always good to come back to Slovakia. It’s the longest lap of the season – at 6km – other than the Nordschleife. I won here in 2012 and arrive with a lot of confidence of adding to that this weekend, especially after the super pace we were able to show in both races in France. We’re also very aware that this is probably the last event where our car will be 80kg lighter than that of our main rival. On a track like this, where tyre wear is high, that should benefit us even more than it did in France. We’re in good shape.”

Despite some strong showings in France, Lada Sport Rosneft will have to demonstrate they can be consistent with all three drivers. Nicky Catsburg, Gabriele Tarquini and Hugo Valente will have to fight for top positions, be it in the opening race or in the main race.

Newcomers Volvo also showed good promise, although the Swedes are allowed some extra time to get fully up to speed. It must be conceded that the car is already quite strong, and more mileage in anger will do nothing but good to the new S60.

“Coming to Slovakia will be awesome and we have potential to improve on all areas,” said Thed Björk. We have never been on this track before, but I have prepared myself by driving a simulator together with my team mate Fredrik.”

Ekblom is also excited and full of hopes ahead of the Slovakian round: “We got a lot of positive things with us from Paul Ricard. Coming to Slovakia will be a completely different thing with one race weekend behind us, enabling us to focus more on the details, and I am longing to get back out on track.”

Zengo Motorsport’s Ferenc Ficza will finally be on track after engine supply issues, caused by the late confirmation of the Hungarian team’s programme, forced the driver to skip the curtain raiser in France. Daniel Nagy will have to wait for his home race next week to finally make his debut at the wheel of the Honda Civic.

Another hot topic is the return of touring car legend James Thompson. After the double British Touring Car Champion was sidelined by Lada Sport, the Brit now returns to deputise for team owner-driver René Münnich, who is committed to the World Rallycross curtain raiser. Although there will certainly be a bit of rust, the Brit’s talent and class can do wonders, so he must not be ruled out for some positive results.

Thompson will be entered in the WTCC Trophy, which is led by Sébastien Loeb Racing’s Mehdi Bennani after a double win at Paul Ricard. The Moroccan leads ROAL Motorsport’s Tom Coronel by 7 points, with Citroën privateer Tom Chilton a further two points behind.

The Dutchman needs to take advantage of the full ballast awarded to the Citroëns to make sure he can get the maximum out of it. Although the Chevrolets are unlikely to ever be on maximum weight, an 80-kilos difference might just be the maximum difference in the season. The fantastic performance in Qualifying at Paul Ricard – fourth outright – further boosted the morale of the team and the driver. With an updated version of the Chevrolet RML Cruze, a very good team and of course the Dutchman’s talent, the package can pull a few surprises on the competitors. Coronel will also make his 250th start in the FIA World Touring Car Championship this weekend.

Mehdi Bennani, on the other, is absolutely under pressure to deliver. The double win was a boost but, besides Coronel’s opposition, he also has to face the likes of Tom Chilton and the ever-improving Grégoire Demoustier in the same car. The Moroccan clearly expressed his wish to become a works driver, and some positive results in the WTCC Trophy will be crucial for him in order to get to the long-awaited factory seat.

Action will start as early as Friday with a testing session at 12.00. On Saturday, there will be the usual two Free Practice sessions, lasting half an hour and starting at 8.45 and 11.30 respectively. Qualifying will start at 14.00 with the usual three-segment format, followed by the MAC 3 challenge, which awards points in the manufacturers’ standings.

The 11-laps Opening Race will start at 12.10, while the Main Race will last one extra lap and is scheduled for 14.15.

WTCC Slovakia Entry List

No – Driver – Team – Car
2 – Gabriele Tarquini – Lada Sport – Lada Vesta WTCC
3 – Tom Chilton – Sébastien Loeb Racing – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
5 – Norbert Michelisz – Honda Racing Team JAS – Honda Civic WTCC
7 – Hugo Valente – Lada Sport – Lada Vesta WTCC
9 – Tom Coronel – ROAL Motorsport – Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1
10 – Nicky Catsburg – Lada Sport – Lada Vesta WTCC
11 – Gregoire Demoustier – Sébastien Loeb Racing – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
12 – Rob Huff – Honda Racing Team JAS – Honda Civic WTCC
18 – Tiago Monteiro – Honda Racing Team JAS – Honda Civic WTCC
25 – Mehdi Bennani – Sébastien Loeb Racing – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
27 – John Filippi – Campos Racing – Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1
37 – José María López – Citroën Racing – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
55 – Ferenc Ficza – Zengo Motorsport – Honda Civic WTCC
61 – Fredrik Ekblom – Polestar Cyan Racing – Volvo S60 TC1
62 – Thed Björk – Polestar Cyan Racing – Volvo S60 TC1
68 – Yvan Muller – Citroën Racing – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
## – James Thompson – Münnich Motosport – Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1

WTCC Slovakia Timetable

Friday 15th April
12:00 – Testing

Saturday 16th April
08:45 – Free Practice 1
11:30 – Free Practice 2
14:00 – Qualifying
15:00 – MAC3

Sunday 17th April
12:10 – Opening Race (11 Laps)
14:15 – Main Race (12 Laps)