No place like home for WTCC star Bennani

Mehdi Bennani was back in the media spotlight at the official launch of his home round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

Fresh from his WTCC exploits in Argentina last weekend, Bennani was among the guests of honour at a press conference in Casablanca on Thursday evening to promote next month’s Eurodatacar WTCC Race of Morocco, which will take place in Marrakech from 17-19 April.

And François Riberio, the WTCC General Manager who was among the speakers in Casablanca, said Bennani will be the undisputed star when the WTCC his the Circuit Moulay El Hassan in Marrakech for the first street race of 2015.

“There has always been huge interest in Mehdi Bennani but even more so now he’s a winner in the WTCC and the fact that he’s driving the car of the world champion team and driver from 2014,” said Ribeiro.

Bennani, who claimed his maiden WTCC victory in China last season, is driving a Citroën C-Elysée WTCC for championship newcomer Sébastien Loeb Racing. He was involved in a controversial clash with Rob Huff in the first of two races in Argentina before coming off worse from a collision with Yvan Muller in the second race. Nevertheless he battled back to win the Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy section in a fine fifth overall to underline his potential.