N.TECHNOLOGY RACING NEWSN.Technology - FIA World Touring Car Championship

03.06.2007 N.Technology Alfa Romeo team finish in the points in Pau

Hard work paid off today in Pau, France for the N.Technology Alfa Romeo team with James Thompson finishing seventh in round eight of the 2007 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). The entire weekend was ruled by the circuit's narrow streets and limited overtaking opportunities but the team battled on regardless, pushing hard for points finishes despite Thompson's Alfa Romeo 156 being 55kgs heavier than in Spain. The team's back-to-back victories in Valencia two weeks ago meant that significant weight ballast was added for this weekend but N.Technology worked relentlessly on the Alfa's development to ensure a strong performance regardless.

Today’s first race (round 7) for the N.Technology Alfa Romeo team was ruled by the heavy traffic on the streets. British driver Thompson spent most of the race within Tom Coronel's slipstream but despite being faster than the Dutch driver, the circuit’s narrow track never allowed for an overtaking move. Team-mate Olivier Tielemans’ race was brought to an abrupt end after an incident on lap one put his Alfa 156 into the barriers.

“I pushed the whole time but you can’t overtake around here so tenth was the best we could have for this race," said Thompson. "The car is fine though, we’re quick around here, it’s just the traffic," he added. Meanwhile Tielemans, who had a very short opening race, said: “I was on the inside of the first corner but got tapped at the exit which spun me and put me in the barriers. I don’t think there was any need for that but there you go!”

In race two Thompson got off to a great start but opted for a cautious approach going into turn one hoping to avoid any incidents. Team-mate Olivier Tielemans was less lucky and retired a few laps into the race following an incident with Independent driver Stefano D'Aste. Thompson kept on the pace for the reminder of the race, looking for any opportunity to improve his tenth position start. By the closing laps of this afternoon's race the 33-year-old was in eighth position benefiting from a few incidents higher up in the field and a quick overtaking move on a struggling Alain Menu saw him move to seventh.

"It was a tough race," said Thompson, "I got a great start and made up some places but had to lift off at the end of the straight as my goal was to finish and try to add to my points tally. I was fortunate on the last lap, Menu began to slow down and this enabled me to get by him for seventh."
 

The entire weekend was ruled by the circuit's narrow streets and limited overtaking opportunities but the team battled on regardless.

Hard work paid off today in Pau, France for the N.Technology Alfa Romeo team with James Thompson finishing seventh in round eight of the FIA World Touring Car Championship.


"Being cautious on lap one paid off, we finished the race and have now added two more championship points to our tally. I am really happy," he added. Meanwhile, "from the start of the race I had understeer problems," reported Tielemans, "which made my car quite hard to handle. Several cars got involved around the D´Aste accident and as I passed D´Aste´s car and tried to run up the hill, the circuit was blocked by other race cars that had spun - maybe on D´Aste oil? The engine stalled and unfortunately I was unable to re-start it." 

Marco Calovolo, Technical Director:
“The car is running really well, it’s fast and capable of a top five finish at least but overtaking is extremely difficult here. If there are any incidents in race two we will take advantage of them.”   

 

Andrea Muller, Team Manager: "This was a very interesting race. Considering how hard it is to overtake on streets circuits such as Pau as well as the weight penalty that James was carrying, we are really happy with the two points that he scored!"

Race One:
1. Alan Menu (SUI), Chevrolet Lacetti; 2. Yvan Muller (FRA), SEAT Leon; 3. Tiego Monteiro (POR), SEAT Leon; 4. Robert Huff (GBR), Chevrolet Lacetti; 5. Felix Porteiro (ESP), BMW 320si; 6. Andy Priaulx (GBR), BMW 320si; 7. Augusto Farfus (BRA), BMW 320si; 8. Jordi Gene (ESP), SEAT Leon; 10. James Thompson (GBR), Alfa Romeo 156; DNF. Olivier Tielemans (NED), Alfa Romeo 156

 

Race Two: 1. Augusto Farfus (BRA), BMW 320si; 2. Andy Priaulx (GBR), BMW 320si; 3. Tiego Monteiro (POR), SEAT Leon; 4. Robert Huff (GBR), Chevrolet Lacetti; 5. Jordi Gene (ESP), SEAT Leon; 6. Yvan Muller (FRA), SEAT Leon; 7. James Thompson (GBR), Alfa Romeo 156; 8. Alain Menu (SUI), Chevrolet Lacetti; DNF. Olivier Tielemans (NED), Alfa Romeo 156

 

Round nine and ten will take place in Brno, Czech Republic on 17 June 2007.
 

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02.06.2007

The N.Technology Alfa Romeo team will race into qualifying action this afternoon on the 2.760km street circuit of Pau, a demanding track which poised to be one of the hardest venues of the year

Photos: FIA WTCC / © 2007 Interfuture Media/Italiaspeed