News before Motegi qualifying

Huff reveals WTCC qualifying worries

Rob Huff is expecting a “real tough” qualifying for FIA WTCC JVCKENWOOD Race of Japan later today.

The combination of running the maximum 80 kilograms of success ballast in his factory Honda Civic WTCC plus the high ambient and track temperatures at Twin Ring Motegi, are causing the 2012 World Touring Car champion a certain amount of anxiety, particularly following two off-song Free Practice sessions this morning.

“It’s nothing short of a disaster here to be honest,” said Huff, a podium finisher at Twin Ring Motegi last season. “For the first time this year the car feels quite unresponsive, very difficult to slow down. That’s in the nature of the circuit as well as in the weight of the car but we normally see Honda in the top five in the practice sessions and we’re struggling to be in the top 10 here in the practice sessions so qualifying is going to be real tough. If we get one car into the top 10 we’ll be doing very, very well.

“Ultimately [the compensation weight is] hurting a lot and taking its toll. I’m very concerned about the brakes in the race. After three laps the brake pedal is 50 per cent longer than when we start and there’s not much left on it. We’ve done everything we can but there’s nothing more we can do. It’s the first time we’ve run 80 kilos but we’re in the hottest temperatures we’ve seen at the hardest braking track we go to.”

Why WTCC Qualifying Q1 won’t do for Catsburg

Nicky Catsburg will do all he can to make it out of Qualifying Q1 at WTCC JVCKENWOOD Race of Japan today.

After missing out on a spot in Q2 in Argentina last month, the LADA Sport Rosneft racer is determined to make progress in order to get his impressive point-scoring run in the FIA World Touring Car Championship back on track.

Speaking following this morning’s two 30-minute Free Practice sessions, Catsburg said: “In qualifying it’s really important to be in top 12 in Q1, super important, and in Q2 you should always have an opportunity because there’s always someone who makes a mistake or goes off or whatever. This is my main goal now, to be in the top 10 and then we see what happens.”

Asked how he will prepare for his qualifying push, the Dutchman explained: “We know what to do. We have very little practice and all you can do is focus on improving the car or focus on having a stable approach to qualifying. I always like a stable approach to qualifying because you find time in yourself. If you keep changing the car, obviously you find time in the car but then it’s more difficult to put a lap together in qualifying so we have to find a good balance. It’s so difficult to put a qualifying lap together but I just hope I’m in the top 10.”

Catsburg was second quickest in Free Practice 1 this morning and was also quicker than LADA team-mates Gabriele Tarquini and Hugo Valente in Free Practice 2 with the eighth best time.

New engine time (and grid penalty) for WTCC racer Coronel

Tom Coronel will have fresh engine for FIA WTCC JVCKENWOOD Race of Japan, which means the Dutch privateer will start at the back of the grid for Sunday’s Opening Race.

Coronel’s ROAL Motorsport mechanics were called into action after Coronel damaged the original engine in his Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 during Saturday morning’s Free Practice.

“We have some difficulties with the engine being changed for a new one,” said Coronel. “I over-revved it on the down-change when I had no brakes so I will be a the back for the Opening Race. It’s a pity but that’s it.”