ANDY PRIAULX has crucial WTCC business to attend to at the weekend – before returning to the cockpit of a Formula One machine.
The three-time defending world champion is in Portugal for rounds 11 and 12 of this year’s series having come away from the last meeting in Brno feeling ‘quite despondent’ due to his lack of pace.
However, despite enduring a disappointing weekend in the Czech Republic, where he picked up a solitary point only after Rob Huff’s exclusion from the second race, Priaulx remains fourth in the drivers’ standings on 34 points, 24 behind leader Gabriele Tarquini.
‘I am now looking forward to the next race in Estoril and my personal aim is to get some more points in the bag,’ said the Guernseyman, who is the top BMW driver in the championship.
‘I suppose I should find some satisfaction in the fact I didn’t drop too far back in the drivers’ standings [in Brno], but Gabriele Tarquini now has an advantage over me and that is not what I need.
‘We still have seven race weekends left and I am going to do my best to pull him in.’
The Sarnian does have a weight advantage over the three Seat drivers ahead of him in the championship.
He will carry 34kg of ballast compared to Tarquini’s maximum 70, Yvan Muller’s 43 and Rickard Rydell’s 37.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that British motor sport fans are in for a thrilling weekend at Brands Hatch on 26 and 27 July as Priaulx returns to home soil.
Not only will he be looking to repeat his first UK WTCC race win from last year, but he is also set to wow crowds by taking to the track in a BMW Sauber F1 Team race car.
Last month, BMW Sauber F1 Team secured its maiden victory in Montreal, with Robert Kubica becoming the first Polish driver ever to win a Grand Prix.
A former test driver for BMW Williams F1 Team in 2005-06, Priaulx will perform demonstration laps around the Grand Prix circuit on both the Saturday and Sunday, in between racing in his BMW 320si WTCC car.
‘The WTCC at Brands Hatch promises to be another great weekend. It’s always a highlight for me to race in front of my home crowd and I’m looking forward to giving the fans something to cheer about, both in the WTCC races and the F1 car,’ Priaulx said.
‘This is an amazing time for the BMW Sauber F1 Team and to have the chance to show the fans an F1 car at Brands is a real treat for me and them. The noise will be phenomenal and it promises to be a real spectacle.’
Article posted on 10th July, 2008 - 2.30pm
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