Motegi, FP1: Tarquini fastest again for Honda in the WTCC

Gabriele Tarquini’s impressive start to JVC KENWOOD WTCC Race of Japan continued this morning when the Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team driver went quickest of all in Free Practice 1 at Twin Ring Motegi.

After setting the testing pace on Friday, Tarquini was full of optimism in his Yokohama-shod Honda Civic WTCC. And he didn’t disappoint either by completing the 30-minute Free Practice 1 in a time of 1m57.127s to eclipse his best lap of 1m57.146s from Friday with Norbert Michelisz once again making it a Honda one-two in second, 0.638s down on Tarquini. The Hungarian was also the fastest of the Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy contingent.

“The engine was better than yesterday and I was very happy with the set-up,” said Tarquini. “We changed many things since yesterday and it seems correct. And having the provisional pole gives me more confidence than yesterday. The car feels great to drive and I am very happy at this track. There are many positive things for the weekend.”

Behind Michelisz, Sébastien Loeb was third fastest for Citroën Total WTCC with Tiago Monteiro fourth for Honda. Yvan Muller was fifth, Mehdi Bennani sixth and Ma Qing Hua seventh. World champion José María López was eighth followed by LADA Sport Rosneft duo Rob Huff and Nicky Catsburg.

Hugo Valente, Tom Chilton, Tom Coronel, John Filippi, Stefano D’Aste, Nicolas Lapierre and Grégoire Demoustier completed the runners.

Monteiro to make WTCC start number 200 from the back of the grid

Tiago Monteiro will make his landmark start in the FIA World Touring Car Championship… from the back of grid.

The Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team driver is celebrating his double centenary in the first JVC KENWOOD WTCC Race of Japan on Sunday. However, an enforced engine will mean that his efforts in qualifying this afternoon will be in vain.

A decision of the FIA Stewards read: “The Stewards, having received a request from the competitor to have he authorisation to change the engine and, after hearing the FIA Technical Delegate, have considered the following matter and decide to allow this change as defined in Art. 71.4 of the FIA WTCC Sporting Regulations.”

Daisuke Horiuchi, Large Project Leader for WTCC Development at Honda R&D commented: “We discovered some accident damage following Vila Real and could not take the risk to run Tiago without changing the engine. We had hoped we could do this under ‘force majeure’ but unfortunately this was not accepted and we have to accept the grid penalty.”

LADA Sport Rosneft’s Nicky Catsburg will also start at the back of the grid after receiving an engine-change penalty.