Lapierre: I hope to be able to grab some serious points for Lada

Nicolas Lapierre has described his FIA World Touring Car Championship chance with LADA Sport Rosneft as a “very exciting challenge” after testing the squad’s Vesta TC1 earlier in the summer.

The 2015 Le Mans LMP2 class winner will contest the remaining eight WTCC races of the season, his first experience of touring car action, starting with next month’s JVC KENWOOD WTCC Race of Japan.

“Driving the LADA Vesta TC1 in the FIA World Touring Car Championship is a very exciting challenge for me,” said the Frenchman.

“I have driven a lot of single-seaters and sportcars, but I’ve never been seated behind the wheel of a touring car. Turbo-engined, front-wheel-driven cars are new to me and I had a lot to learn when I initially stepped into the Vesta, but the LADA Sport Rosneft team helped me a lot. I will do my best to learn how to race in the WTCC as quickly as possible and I hope to be able to grab some serious points for LADA Sport Rosneft.”

Lapierre will make his WTCC race debut at Twin Ring Motegi from 11-13 September when he will link up with fellow LADA drivers Nicky Catsburg and Rob Huff for the first time.