BRC Racing Team looking for more scores in Vila Real
After a month’s break following the previous race, the FIA ??World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) returns with the fifth round of the season. Vila Real will host the challenge of the WTCR Race of Portugal on the 23rd and 24th of June.
The city in Northern Portugal holds a rich history of motorsport, with the first racing there dating back to 1931. In the modern era drivers take on a 4.785 meters hillside track featuring a number of fast corners alongside tight, technical chicanes combining to create a incredibly fast street circuit. The venue promises a weekend of pure adrenaline during which the drivers of BRC Racing Team, Gabriele Tarquini and Norbert Michelisz, will try every way to again fight for victories and to obtain valuable points in terms of general classification.
The team’s two Hyundai i30 N TCR will carry the latest Balance of Performance (BoP), with the cars running a lower ride height and 10kg lighter than at the most recent WTCR round in Netherlands. The car, however, will remain one of heaviest in the championship, further adding to the considerable challenge faced by the BRC Racing Team on their debut at the track. With this slightly improved standing, the team is focused on collecting points with both cars from each of the three races scheduled across the weekend.
Norbert Michelisz comments: “After Zandvoort we have had a break of some weeks, and I used it to prepare in the best way for the races in Vila Real. The circuit is one of my favorites. It has a fantastic atmosphere, it's very demanding – one of the most difficult ones in the calendar. Qualifying and a good joker lap strategy will be the key to good results, since it is almost impossible to overtake. I'm confident that we will again fight for podiums this weekend in Portugal, and score important points in the championship fight”.
Gabriele Tarquini declares: "Vila Real is a very technical, but fast city circuit. It is a historic route in the centre of the Portuguese town that is normally full of enthusiasts following the race among the houses. The circuit is full of direction changes and you need to have a very agile car with good traction to get out quickly from the many slow corners of the track. There are also medium and fast corners where you need to be very precise and ride near the walls and guardrails to be fast. Personally, I hope to score points in all three races after some tough weekends in the championship and make the most of the opportunities that will come from such a peculiar circuit to get on the podium".
Round 5 WTCR Race of Portugal 2018 –Vila Real International Circuit
Timetable
All times local (GMT +01:00)
SATURDAY 23 RD JUNE
09.00 AM – 09.30 AM Free Practice 1(30 minutes)
11.00 AM – 11.30 AM Free Practice 2 (30 minutes)
12.30 PM – 13.10 PM Qualifying (40 minutes)
16.00 PM – 16.30 PM Race 1 (11 laps)
SUNDAY 24 TH MAY
09.00 AM – 09.30 AM Qualifying Q1 (30 minutes)
09.35 AM – 09.50 AM Qualifying Q2 (15 minutes)
10.00 AM (start first car) Qualifying Q3
15.45 PM – 16.15 PM Race 2 (11 laps)
17.10 PM – 17.45 PM Race 3 (15 laps)
OVERALL RANKINGS - DRIVERS
1 – #68 Yann Ehrlacher FRA - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport - HONDA - pt. 146
2 – #48 Yvan Muller FRA - MRacing - HYUNDAI - pt. 137
3 – #12 Rob Huff GBR - Sébastien Loeb Racing - VOLKSWAGEN - pt. 130
4 – #69 Jean-Karl Vernay FRA - Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team - AUDI - pt. 121
5 – #30 Gabriele Tarquini ITA - BRC Racing Team - HYUNDAI - pt. 118
6 – #11 Thed Björk SWE - MRacing - HYUNDAI - pt. 112
7 – #86 Esteban Guerrieri ARG - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport - HONDA - pt. 109
8 – #5 Norbert Michelisz HUN - BRC Racing Team - HYUNDAI - pt. 102
9 – #22 Frédéric Vervisch BEL – Audi Sport Team Contoyou - AUDI - pt. 65
10 – #74 Pepe Oriola SPA - Campos Racing – CUPRA – pt. 63
OVERALL RANKINGS - TEAMS
1 – ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport - HONDA - pt. 261
2 – MRacing YMR - HYUNDAI - pt. 261
3 – BRC Racing Team - HYUNDAI - pt. 227
4 – Sébastien Loeb Racing - VOLKSWAGEN - pt. 207
5 – Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team - AUDI - pt. 193
6 – Campos Racing - CUPRA - pt. 75
7 – Audi Sport Team Comtoyou - AUDI - pt. 68
7 – Boutsen Ginion Racing - HONDA - pt. 59
9 – DG Sport Competition - PEUGEOT - pt. 58
10 – Comtoyou Racing - AUDI - pt. 28
11 – Zengo Motorsport - CUPRA - pt.