Team Mulsanne’s Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCRs will be in action this coming weekend on one of the world’s toughest race tracks, the Nürburgring Nordschleife, as the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) pitches up at the ‘Green Hell’ for its third round of the 2018 season.
At the season opener in Morocco, held just over a month ago, the Romeo Ferraris-built Giulietta TCR, with Fabrizio Giovanardi and Gianni Morbidelli behind the wheels of the two car entry, struggled to make much of an impression.
However during the second round of WTCR 2018, which was held at the Hungaroring the weekend before last, they were both much closer to the front running pace although many setbacks over the weekend meant the Italian squad wasn’t able to enjoy any rewards for their uptick in pace – something that they will be looking to put right this weekend at the Nürburgring.
Last time out at the Hungaroring Giovanardi and Morbidelli were eliminated from Race 1 following contact with two Audi-driving rivals but Sunday morning brought more promise with Giovanardi just one-tenth shy of a shot at Qualifying Q2, only to have his times disallowed following a weight-check infringement.
Race 2 produced more frustration when Giovanardi and Morbidelli – who had been slowed in Second Qualifying by a failing throttle sensor – collided and while Giovanardi retired from Race 3 with a puncture, Morbidelli however battled his way up the order to claim P15. So there were clear signs of promise for the team to build on heading to the Nürburgring Nordschleife this weekend.
Germany’s WTCR host venue offers a challenge like no other with its daunting 25.378-kilometre lap, 64 heart-stopping corners and the changeable Eifel mountains weather.
Opening for business in 1927 and a German Grand Prix regular until Niki Lauda’s near-fatal accident in 1976, the Nürburgring Nordschleife joined the FIA World Touring Car Championship schedule from 2015-2017 as part of the ADAC Zurich 24h Rennen weekend.
With a packed grid featuring four world champions and a host of national and international touring car title-winners, an abundance of young stars, three ex-Formula One drivers and seven customer racing brands, the stage is set for a thrilling spectacle at WTCR Race of Germany. In an intriguing twist, WTCR – the new name for the WTCC – gets three races per weekend, plus a second qualifying session.
