Kevin Ceccon elated after ensuring Alfa Romeo complete winners list

Kevin Ceccon has said he is proud to have completed a goal set for the Romeo Ferraris Alfa Romeo team, after securing the manufacturer’s first win at Suzuka, signing that every marque on the field has now won a race this year.

Ceccon powered his way to victory in the lightweight Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR, after overtaking the Peugeot 308TCR of Aurélien Comte on lap two and breaking away, but then lost the lead margin he built up twice after two safety car interventions

“Alfa was the only brand that hadn’t won a race before so that was my target when Team Mulsanne called me before Slovakia,” said Ceccon.

“We did a good job, I think today, and especially yesterday because as you know it is important to start from the front. Today it was good fighting with Aurélien, because his start was slightly better than mine and I was not able to overtake him on lap one, but then we fought.

“We had two safety cars and it was not easy to hold our position, but then I achieved that and I am happy for myself and the team as well.

“When I started and was P2 on the first lap, Yvan (Muller) was very close to me and Aurélien much further [ahead], so at the beginning my idea was to keep the position; but then I saw I could catch Aurélien quite easily, so I decided I needed to pass him, but it’s never easy to pass.

“I was lucky that we started to fight hard at 130R and on the exit I was able to grab the position before the braking, which was good. The only thing I did different from a normal race was before the final corner I called the team by radio and said ‘guys, jump on the wall and see you there’.”