Photo: TCR Series

Stefano Comini hopes Audi will help out in China to keep title chance alive

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Comtoyou Racing’s Stefano Comini finished seventh and third in the two races in Thailand, and maintains within close contention for the championship, which is lead by the Honda of Attila Tassi, with Jean-Karl Vernay in the Volkswagen just two points behind, but the two-time champion hopes Audi will help support the team to get back in the title fight.

Ahead of the weekend, Comini was adamant that they needed to leave Thailand with the lead of the championship, as the next two rounds won’t favour the Audi RS 3 LMS, but the Swiss lost some ground after Tassi finished on the podium in Race 1, although third in Race 2 keeps the 27-year-old in contention.

“It’s not enough points, as I wanted to be in front,” Comini told TouringCarTimes. “I completely messed up the start for Race 1; I don’t know what happened, and I was on the outside at the first corner and didn’t want to have any contact. I was a bit too conservative, which isn’t my style, but as we were starting on the front row for Race 2 I didn’t want any damage.

“Then the start in Race 2 took too long, I bit the clutch for too long so now we have to change it. We did the maximum with what we can do with this car, and I hope to go to China more fit and more focussed on the championship. I want this title, and I will do everything to win it, but we need to work, both as a team, and we need to work with Audi, but everything is possible.

“In the last three races we have been battling just to get into Q2, so it’s difficult. This team is young and we need to grow, but we need more help from Audi to do this, so I hope in China things will be a bit different.”

Comini also hopes title rival Roberto Colciago will return for the next round, after the Italian was forced to miss the race after his injuries from the crash in Germany two months ago hadn’t healed, and also congratulated M1RA’s new signing Giacomo Altoè, the 16-year-old who beat him off the line and finished second in Race 2.

“I hope (Roberto) Colciago is back at the next race, as he’s a good friend,” said Comini. “And I’m also very happy for Giacomo Altoè as he had a really great race, and I’m happy for M1RA as they did an amazing job this weekend.”