ANDY PRIAULX plans to be the party-pooper at his favourite world touring car circuit in the early hours of Sunday morning.
While late-night revellers at the annual Guernsey Motor Cycle and Car Club presentation dinner head home, the three-times world champion will be making his final preparations for the last two races of the season, which has been a frustrating one for the Guernseyman.
Just as the season reaches its climax Priaulx’s car is as quick as anyone. Last time out in Okayama he came within a whisker of a win-double and through the streets of the Chinese Territory he believes he has the car to give him a good result.
‘I just love Macau. I seem to like it more and more each year and it is just a privilege to be able to drive my BMW 320si on such a circuit,’ said the BMW Team UK driver after completing a 30-minute test session around six kilometres of Chinese streets.
Priaulx is determined to take up where he left off after the penultimate WTCC meeting in Japan.
‘I have had a great year as I have been fighting for poles and wins an awful lot. Okay, I may have been ruled out of the battle for the world championship, but I am happy with my speed and feel I can finish the season on a high.
‘I just have to make sure I stay out of trouble here as it is a place where it is easy to get caught up in other people’s accidents,’ he said.
As is the norm the drivers’ championship is going down to the wire.
Gabriele Tarquini (SEAT), Yvan Muller (SEAT) and Augusto Farfus (BMW) are all still in with a chance of the drivers’ title, while BMW is just three points behind SEAT for the manufacturers’ crown.
Priaulx lies a solid fourth, out of the title chase but the one the likes of Tarquini and Muller fear.
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They are both experienced enough to know full well that the Sarnian and his car is now flying.
History is not on the Seat drivers’ side either, as well they know it.
Seat have never won a street race in Macau and Priaulx will be working overtime to ensure that record is maintained this weekend, helping his BMW colleague Augusto Farfus to take the individual title and BMW to make up the three points in the manufacturers’ standings.
The Macau weekend is slightly different from the others as free practice and qualifying are today, tomorrow is a day off and then it is business as usual with warm-up and two races on Sunday.
On Sunday, warm-up is from 07.50 to 08.05 and the two nine-lap races will start at 11.55 and 14.05, which is 3.55 and 6.55am Guernsey time.
Article posted on 20th November, 2009 - 2.30pm
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