Valencia offers the best chance to shine

2010. szeptember 16. 02:40 | még nem szólt hozzá senki.  szerző: Viktor Adorján

WTCC says good bye to Europe this weekend in Valencia as the 5 months leg on the Old Continent reaches conclusion. Spain will host Round 9 of the 2010 World Touring Car Championship where Norbert Michelisz will have on of if not the best chance to shine this season.

The beginning of the season and even the start of the European tour of the 2010 FIA WTCC seems to be in the distant past for the field as the teams and drivers are preparing for the last round of the year in Europe.

It is fair to say that what is Barcelona for the Formula 1, it is Valencia for the FIA World Touring Car Championship as the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo has been a part of the ETCC and WTCC calendars since 2003. Only Oschersleben has served the field more times than the Spanish venue.

"For sure all drivers know very well this track because a lot of them has also done a lot of test days on the track because its good weather conditions over the winter," said Arnau Niubó Bosch, technical director of Zengő-Dension Team.

He added: "The results the TDI has achieved on this track are quite good, especially in qualifying sessions. On the races, it’s a little bit more difficult because it’s a really understeering track. For this year I expect a strong Chevrolet as they were performing really well on the last races and it will be difficult to beat them."

Michelisz: "This is where we have the best chance"

Following a strong performance two weeks ago in Oschersleben, Norbert Michelisz aims to keep up his form in Spain as well, especially since he thinks that the conditions should be ideal to convert the efforts they have put in for good results.

"I think we have a realistic chance to qualify as high as the places between the 3rd and 6th place and with a little bit of a luck, a podium finish is in the sights. Obviously the circumstances must be in place," Michelisz stated.

"This is the race on which we will line up in the best shape in terms of track knowledge, the competitiveness of the car and I think that we have built up a link with my engineer. This is where we have the best chance for a big one."

Zengő-Dension Team's WTCC driver has done four race weekends in Valencia which is more than anywhere else outside the Hungarian borders therefore he doesn't expect to be surprised by the layout of the Spanish venue but his engineer says the track knowledge shouldn't be a big advantage for the Hungarian racer as the drivers are adapting really fast at this level.

Valencia is a milestone. Or is that really?

The conclusion of the European leg seems to be a landmark in the season when there should be a reflection on what has happened since the field returned from South America and Africa but the team's technical director says it is just another race in the calendar.

"It’s the last European meeting but the important thing is that it will be the 9th event of the Championship," Arnau Niubó said. - "Based on the last 8 rounds I can only say the team really adapted fast to the championship from Curitiba. No mistakes that could have compromise the results has been done from the team showing they are really professionals."

Norbert Michelisz shares this view as he underlined that he gets closer and closer to the frontrunners despite the recent circuits didn't favor the characteristics of the SEAT Leon TDI. The Hungarian driver admitted that there are still lessons to be learned but he is a lot closer to the top than he has ever been.

"I feel too that my performance is getting better and better race by race despite the fact that the best circuits for the car have passed but we are still not at the end of the learning process. I'm still climbing up on the mountain but it is certain that there is not much left. We are very close to get the most out of a weekend," he thought.

Sacrifice this season

Various annoying incidents have made the life of the team personnel harder over the recent races including a crash and a penalty in Brno and several contacts in Oschersleben resulting a fallback in the order for Norbert Michelisz.

The Hungarian driver said that he doesn't intend to change his driving style as he is trying to establish himself in the field as a fair but tough competitor instead acting as an easy pride for the more experienced opponents in the field.

"I need to sacrifice my first season, I can't be given the badge of letting anybody to get past by me when I get under pressure because it will be very difficult to shed later. I think this is the right attitude for the longer term," Michelisz explained.

"However we must see that three race weekends are remaining of the season and we would have easily deserved a podium finish. Based on this I think that if it is up to my attitude then it might not be sure that I will take much risks."

Former rival joins the field

This weekend SEAT Customers Technology will enter a petrol-powered SEAT Leon car for Michelisz's former rival from the 2009 Spanish Leon Supercopa. Marc Carol will be awarded for taking the championship title last season while he is currently placed 2nd in this year's challenge right ahead Zengő-Dension Team's Norbert Kiss.

Valencia will mark the 2nd outing for Carol as he was given a works SEAT Leon Toledo car back in 2005 after he won the 2004 SEAT Leon Supercopa as well but this time he will line up with the current generation of WTCC Leon equipped with the petrol engine available for customers.

Carol's Leon will be 60 kilos lighter than the frontrunner cars as the compensation weights are not going to change for Valencia. Based on the laptimes from the previous three rounds, the Chevrolet Cruze is still the reference car but the latest BMW 320si and the SEAT Leon TDI will also carry 40 kilos of success ballast. The older version of the BMW will get 10 kilos while the Chevrolet Lacetti, the BMW 320si with sequential gearbox and the petrol SEAT Leon will carry -20 kilos.

The last real blast of the European leg of the 2010 FIA WTCC season will take place this weekend as a great atmosphere is expected in Valencia. Make sure not to miss the events from Spain on our website and on Eurosport either.

Photos by SEAT Sport

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