Tarquini and Monteiro on the Nordschleife

Honda factory drivers Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro are the first WTCC competitors to try the Nürburgring Norsdchleife in view of next year’s event.

The 25.4-kilometre combination between the Norsdchleife road course and the Grand Prix racetrack will host a WTCC round for the first time in 2015.

The Italian-Portuguese duo is currently competing in the 6H ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen, seventh round of the VLN Langstrecken Meisterschaft Nürburgring, at the wheel of a Honda Civic Type-R that has been specifically built and prepared by JAS Motorsport in compliance with the technical specifications of the VLN Specials 3 class.

The Japanese car is powered by a 2-litre VTEC normally aspirated engine adapted for endurance racing.

Monteiro said: “I was here two years ago for testing some road cars. That was the first time I got in touch with the VLN series,and since then I dreamed of taking part in one of its races. Today I have been surprised by the difference between a normal road car and a racing car on this really demanding track. I have taken part in the Le Mans 24 hours in a LMP1 car, and I think the feeling will be similar in our Honda Civic, when being in the same race against much more powerful cars.”

And Tarquini added: “I am really here for the first time, after having heard a lot about the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife. I have been watching a lot of videos on youtube, but the impression is totally different when you actually sit behind the steering wheel. We are here to learn the track and gain some experience in competition, as we know that we will have to come back later.”

This afternoon Tarquini and Monteiro took part in the VLN test; the 6-hour race will start tomorrow at 12.00 (noon), preceded by a 90-minute qualifying session from 8.30.