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Alfa Romeo driver Augusto Farfus
clearly stated his intent to bid
for victory on the opening races
of the 2006 FA World Touring Car
Championship season this
afternoon in Monza, after
setting the overall fastest time
during the morning warm-up
session at the wheel of his
N.technology-run Alfa Romeo 156.
What should have been a normal
warm-up session actually brought
high drama this morning.
Alessandro Zanardi (BMW) had just
posted the fourth fastest lap
overall before going wide at
Lesmo 2 and narrowly avoiding a
high speed collision with Dirk
Müller. "I made a mistake, I
went wide and I lost the car. It
was unfortunate that I hit the
barriers that are placed just
after the tyre wall so the
impact was heavier that it would
have been if I'd crashed into
tyres. The car will be repaired
in time but I don't know if the
chassis will be 100 percent," the
Italian driver said.
Away from these tense scenes, it
was Alfa Romeo's highly rated
Brazilian youngster Farfus, who
set the fastest lap overall this
morning, a 2:01.567, just ahead
of the BMW drivers' Dirk Müller
and Andy Priaulx.
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Alfa Romeo driver Augusto Farfus clearly stated his
intent to bid for victory on the opening races of
the 2006 FA World Touring Car Championship season
this afternoon in Monza, after setting the overall
fastest time during the morning warm-up session at
the wheel of his N.technology-run Alfa Romeo 156. |
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"We came from the old car and have improved a lot
for the start of the season and here we are," said
Augusto Farfus during the post-qualifying press
conference yesterday. "This is proven by my position
on the grid. The car feels good, it is a pretty good
track for the car and I will fight for the podium
and win tomorrow." |
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Rivals for victory
today: Alfa Romeo's Augusto Farfus (left) and BMW
Team UK's reigning FIA World Touring Car Champion
Andy Priaulx, watch the timing screens at Monza. |
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Zanardi's
problem occurred in the closing
seconds and his previous lap
time of 2:01.946 was to be the
fourth fastest in the 15 minute
session. Independent driver, Tom
Coronel, was an impressive fifth
fastest out of the entire field
in his GR Asia SEAT Toledo
Cupra.
Farfus' two N.technology team mates both recorded very solid
times, Gianni Morbidelli set a best lap of 2:02.103, good
enough for seventh overall and just 0.536 of a second off
his team leader's best overall time, while Salvatore Tavano
was down in nineteen place after turning in a 2:02.802,
which was 1.275 seconds off the fastest time. Of the trio of
Italian Touring Car Championship Alfa 156 drivers taking
part today Alessandro Balzan stated his intent to mix it
with the WTCC drivers by setting 9th fastest time
(2:02.187). Also out this morning was WTCC privateer hopeful
Jiri Janak who was down in 27th place overall. (2:03.872).
Farfus is the driver though that Alfa Romeo's hopes are
pinned on to push to fruition their 2006 WTCC title
challenge. Since he was elevated to the role of team leader
following the departure of last year's team mates Fabrizio
Giovanardi, Gabriele Tarquini and James Thompson, he has
been revelling in his new-found responsibilities. "We came
from the old car and have improved a lot for the start of
the season and here we are," the Brazilian N.technology
driver said during the post-qualifying press conference
in Monza yesterday afternoon.
"This is proven by my position on the grid. The
car feels good, it is a pretty good track for the car and I
will fight for the podium and win tomorrow. I think it's
going to be a tough season but we have a good package and a
good team, we can do it. I know it was close between me and Yvan and who knows what will happen for tomorrow. I think it
is great for the championship that there is a BMW, a SEAT
and an Alfa at the front of the grid, I hope the fans enjoy
it," he added.
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