New LADA shows WTCC pace

LADA SPORT ROSNEFT’s all-new Vesta TC1 is going fast and pleasing its drivers in the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

Rob Huff, WTCC champion in 2012, was seventh and fifth quickest in Saturday’s two Free Practice sessions and said he was relishing life behind the wheel of the Russian challenger. “It’s fantastic, a real race car,” said the Briton. “There’s still a lot of work to do but it’s feeling good.”

Huff had a couple of off-track moments in Free Practice 1 as he attempted to find the limit of his new machine, which he’s only driven on a handful of occasions in pre-season testing. “I’ve just been finding the limit because we’ve not been doing a lot of driving with this car,” he said.

James Thompson is driving a second LADA Vesta in Argentina.