New career for Tom Coronel as WTCC commentator

Tom Coronel will definitely not race this weekend on the Paul Ricard circuit in the second round of the WTCC championship. The damage to Tom’s ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet Cruze as a result of the accident in Marrakech from last weekend is so severe, that the car will not be ready in time for rounds 3 & 4 of the 2014 WTCC. But there is no time for Tom to get bored, because this Sunday he will take care of the live TV report of the World Touring Car Championship races in a new career as co-commentator for Eurosport International together with Martin Haven.

Last Sunday the second race of the 2014 WTCC in Marrakech lasted just a few seconds for Tom. Extensive contact with Honda driver Mehdi Bennani, followed by a firm final push, resulted in the front of Tom’s ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet Cruze running into the wall along the straight of the Moulay El Hassan circuit, first on the left side followed by the right side wall. "Those two crashes already caused my car to be shortened on the front end quite a lot, but because Yvan Muller could not avoid me anymore when I bounced back from the wall, my rear end also disappeared. Fortunately I didn’t get injured myself, but the damage to the car is massive, adding up to around 200,000 euros, causing quite a dent in my budget for this year. On top the body structure was damaged so we need a new one. Because of the very limited time between the two race weekends we are not able to repair the car in time. Meaning I will definitely not start in France. My next race will be at the Hungaroring in Hungary, beginning of May," a disappointed Tom Coronel explains.

Eurosport commentator

Although he will not race in France, Tom will be involved in the WTCC weekend at Paul Ricard, in a completely new role for him. "Immediately after my return from Marrakech I was asked by Eurosport to act as co-commentator next to Martin Haven this weekend to do the live report for the two races for Eurosport International. Great off course! In Marrakech, and also on an occasion last year, I reported live from inside my car for Eurosport in the race preview during the warm-up lap. It seems Eurosport liked the way I did that because now they offered me the chance to still take part in this WTCC weekend, be it in a role at the side line."