Bennani ready to fight on the legendary Nordschleife !

The Sébastien Loeb Racing and Mehdi Bennani are approaching one of the most unusual events of the season namely the German round of the World Touring Car Championship to be fought on the legendary Nordschleife. Opening event of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, both the Moroccan driver and Alsace-based team are about to encounter one of the myths of motorsport. Though they’ll have to put up with an engine change, everybody is determined to fight for the best result possible.

First of the Yokohama Trophy before the WTCC’s third round in Hungary, Mehdi Bennani had to give up in the first couple of minutes of the second race due to an alarm (a technical issue which lead to engine overheating). Consequently, the driver and his team had to replace the engine, forcing Mehdi to start from the back of the grid for Nürburgring’s Race 1. That has not affected his motivation, all the more as he has just completed a very positive practice session.

“I’m going to fight in order to finish the highest possible in the rankings and to perform the best way I can, as always” says Mehdi. “We’ve had a good practice session at the Hungaroring the week after the race. We’ve come to understand some things and I had some good sensations again. It was important for all of us. Regarding the Nürburgring, it’s a little bit strange to begin a week-end knowing that I’ll have to take my first start from the back of the grid, but I’ll have to put up with that. It doesn’t help at all, of course, but I like to attack and I will do my best to catch up. I don’t like to give up and to concede defeat. It won’t be easy but I trust the team to support me in fulfilling that mission !”

Mehdi Bennani will have to do so on one of the most difficult tracks : the over 25 kilometres’ Nordschleife and its 170 turns. An exceptional environment for WTCC cars which will gauge themselves against the specificities and requirements of such a unique theatre, at the heart of the Eifel region and with erratic weather conditions. The layout will also be unique as, considering the length of the track, races will consist of three laps only.

“This track is incomparable, one of the most difficult ones. It’s simply completely different!” admits the Moroccan driver, currently third of the Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy. “It’s the type of tracks that one must know by heart, down to the smallest details. It’s fast, with many turns with no visibility and not a single mistake is tolerated. Under those conditions, experience plays a crucial role. It actually has more impact than the car itself or than any intrinsic driving qualities. There’ll be a learning phase for me and my objective during practice sessions will be to drive, drive and drive again. We’ll have to make the most of each minute we get in order to start garnering that experience I’m talking about.”

Besides Mehdi Bennani’s C-Elysée, currently 10th in the overall rankings, the Sébastien Loeb Racing will also bring its operational support to Ma Qing Hua’s car, entered by Citroën Racing. The Chinese driver is ranked fifth.