Sonoma: MacDowall tops a shortened test

Alex MacDowall set the fastest lap in the first outing for the WTCC drivers at Sonoma. The 30-minute test lasted only 26 minutes before being red flagged when Felice Tedeschi crashed at Turn 4.

Yvan Muller was the first one to time a significant lap of 1:49.891, ten minutes into the session. A few moment later Alain Menu improved to 1:49.373 and then Pepe Oriola moved the mark further ahead to 1:48.609.

With twelve minutes left on the clock MacDowall clocked a lap of 1:48.281 that eventually remained the fastest as the red flag shortened the session by four minutes.

Tedeschi went wide at Turn 4 and his Proteam BMW 320 TC hit the wall and rolled; the Italian newcomer had struggled from the beginning, spinning three times at Turn 2 before the crash. Despite the hard crash, Tedeschi was unscathed.

Fernando Monje set an impressive third fastest lap of 1:48.979, demoting Muller to fourth in the fastest of the Chevrolet cars. While Stefano D’Aste was the best of the BMW drivers, ranking eighth with a lap of 1:49.449. James Nash’s Ford was timed at 1:50.270 and classified 14th.

MACDOWALL: THE RED FLAG HELPED ME

Commenting on his fastest lap, Alex MacDowall said: “It was good. The track was a bit dusty and slippery. It was difficult to make one lap on the proper racing line. A lot of drivers were running wide to check the limits of the tracks. I managed to complete one good lap and set a kind of a bench mark. However I don’t think it would stay the fastest until the end, because the red flag prevented the Chevrolet drivers to improve.”

Tuenti Racing Team fellow Spaniards Pepe Oriola and Fernando Monje set the second and third fastest lap.

“I did not use the news tyres. So I’m quite happy with my second time. It has been a very good beginning to the weekend” Oriola said.

And Monje echoed: “I cannot complain. I did put the new tyres, but I think that my lap time was very encouraging.”

PROTEAM WITHDRAW TEDESCHI’S CAR

Felice Tedeschi’s first appearance in the FIA World Touring Car Championship ended even before the start.

Proteam Racing withdrew from the event the Italian driver’s BMW 320 TC car that was damaged beyond repair in a spectacular crash at Turn 4 during today’s test session at Sonoma.

Tedeschi walked out of the wrecked car unscathed but shaken. As a precaution he was therefore transferred to the hospital for a scan check.