WTCC

Curitiba: Chevrolet preview

The Cruze Eager To Take Up The Challenge Of New WTCC Season Muller, Huff And Menu Confident About 2010 Ahead Of Season-Opener In Brazil WELLINGBOROUGH / ZURICH, 26th February 2010 The long wait for WTCC fans is about to finish, as teams, ...

Edited: Mar 3, 2010, 2:59 AM

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The Cruze Eager To Take Up The Challenge Of New WTCC Season

Muller, Huff And Menu Confident About 2010 Ahead Of Season-Opener In Brazil

WELLINGBOROUGH / ZURICH, 26th February 2010 The long wait for WTCC fans is about to finish, as teams, drivers and cars head to Brazil for the first event of the 2010 season. The Autodromo Internacional de Curitiba, in the Southern state of Parana, is again hosting the season-opener of the world's leading touring car series. Chevrolet is embarking on its sixth year in the competition with a strong determination to fight for the title.

After a first race season in 2009, the Cruze is now ready to show its full potential and the team is very positive about the development and fine-tuning work done during the winter. The driver line- up has been strengthened with the addition of former WTCC champion Yvan Muller alongside Rob Huff and Alain Menu, and the entire Chevrolet family is behind its drivers as they finalize preparation for the 2010 campaign.

This season will also see Chevrolets entered for the full-season in the Independents' Trophy, thanks to UK-based Bamboo Engineering, who will run two cars for Chinese driver Darryl O'Young and Briton Harry Vaulkhard.

* QUOTES

Yvan Muller (Car # 6): "The time has come to start a new season and to make my debut at the wheel of a Chevrolet, so I am really keen to be in Curitiba! This will also be the first real opportunity to see where the competition stands. Personally, I am convinced that everybody has progressed, but we need to see how big a step forward has been made by each manufacturer. Although these questions are quite usual at this time of the year, my inner feeling is that it will be a very competitive and close championship, as in previous years. I think we should be OK in Curitiba, but much will depend on qualifying and also on how well we will play with slip streaming, always a crucial factor in Curitiba".

Rob Huff (Car # 7): "I was at MIRA yesterday for some final aero testing with the Cruze. I am very excited about this season, and I think that all the work done has been very helpful. We are definitely in a better situation now that the Cruze is in its second race year and I am very anxious to be in Curitiba and to work with Alain and Yvan. This year, we really have to go for both championships. Regarding Curitiba, I certainly like the circuit more than the circuit seems to like me! But I hope it will be like Valencia, where last year I eventually I could break the jinx".

./.. Alain Menu (# 8): "I am reasonably optimistic ahead of this 2010 season. Last week's test in Valencia has definitely convinced me that we have made good progress with the Cruze during the winter and that the car is now in a position to be consistently competitive throughout the season and on all types of tracks. My personal goal is to be on the podium in Curitiba, I think it's an achievable goal. Last year we were second-fastest in Q1 there and Curitiba is a circuit I like, although changing weather conditions are sometime an issue. My biggest hope, though, is to be able to go unscathed through the first corner, contrarily to last year! In truth, my biggest wish for 2010 is to have more fair-play on the track and not live again what I had to endure in 2009, when in 12 out of 24 races I fell victim of other competitors".

Ron Hartvelt: "The RML team has done a tremendous amount of work since the end of last season in Macau, and I am confident that the Cruze has made good progress. We have been focusing on the balance of the car, on trying all types of set-ups and the fact that a new driver like Yvan has joined the team has helped exploring new set-up directions. The 2010 Cruze has a number of technical evolutions, mostly fine-tuning of many areas, such as front suspension set- up and differential. We have also improved engine reliability and performance. In Brazil we will see where we stand, but I am convinced that this year we will have the pace to battle in front and compete for the championship".

Eric N

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