Um olhar sobre as corridas

#ACELERA VILA REAL dia 15

Um Vila-realense no WTCC 

Manuel Pedro Fernandes

Lada Vesta TC1

“Quem espera sempre alcança”

Após alguns avanços e recuos num processo que, desde o início, não se afigurou fácil, é com grande orgulho que anunciamos que o piloto Manuel Pedro Fernandes participará na ronda portuguesa do FIA WTCC, a decorrer no Circuito Internacional de Vila Real, a sua terra natal, já nos próximos dias 24 e 25 de Junho, ao volante de um Lada Vesta WTCC TC 1, da RC Motorsport.

Após o insucesso na participação em 2015, devido a razões às quais somos alheios, e os excelentes resultados obtidos na prova vilarrealense do ETCC em 2016, o piloto e nós enquanto estrutura, concretizaremos assim um desejo antigo.
Esta participação só será possível devido à ajuda de alguns intervenientes, os quais não podemos deixar de mencionar em jeito de agradecimento.

- Ao Tiago Monteiro, pelo seu forcing precioso diante de várias entidades, ele que desde o início se manifestou agradado com a possível presença do Manuel Pedro Fernandes.

- ao Dr. Rui Miguel Silva, pelas noites mal dormidas e pela forte posição que tomou numa, até agora, incessante busca pela favorável resolução do processo.

- a todos os que apoiam incansavelmente o piloto nos bons e maus momentos e se fazem ouvir nas bancadas. Se esse apoio não existisse ou não se fizesse sentir, a participação na prova não teria qualquer sentido.

A todos vós prometemos máximo empenho e dedicação. Lutaremos com todas as forças para que a participação seja digna.
Mais detalhes serão divulgados em breve.

Comunicação do piloto Manuel Pedro Fernandes

Manuel Fernandes will go from European Touring Car Cup winner to WTCC rookie when he contests his home round of the FIA World Touring Car Championship in Vila Real, Portugal next week (23-25 June).

Fernandes won the inaugural ETCC Race of Vila Real on the challenging street track in the northern Portugal city where he lives last June, but will step up to the big brother WTCC in a third RC Motorsport entry when the championship makes its third visit there later this month.

He will partner season rookies Yann Ehrlacher and Kevin Gleason in RC Motorsport’s exciting line-up, which expands to a three-car operation for the first time.

And his inclusion on the expanded WTCC grid means local fans will have two Portuguese drivers to support this year with Tiago Monteiro, the 2016 WTCC Race of Portugal winner, heading the charge for the factory Honda team as he bids to wrestle back the championship lead.

“I’m really excited,” said Fernandes, who began competing in single seaters and has enjoyed recent success in the Abarth Trophy series. “I missed the opportunity to do this race two years ago but I knew inside that one day if I had another chance to participate I wouldn’t let it go. This is the opportunity to do one thing that I love in a no-pressure environment. My preparation will be on the racing weekend only but it’s my city, a track that I know very well and with no need to get any results. It’s important I enjoy this as much as possible.”

François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCC promoter, said: “We are very pleased to welcome Manuel, a second Portuguese driver of course, to the WTCC family for his home race. Manuel is a driver with considerable experience and ability. He’s well aware of the level of the WTCC and the drivers but he’s approaching this opportunity in a very sensible way, he has a good team around him and we wish him well.”

WTCC Race of Portugal first took place in 2007 with Vila Real entering the fray in 2015. A circuit oozing history and intrigue, racing has been held on the hillside roads of the city since 1931, when Gaspar Sameiro and Ercilio Barbosa conquered the original 7.150-kilometre course in a Ford Model A. The current 4.785-kilometre layout is a challenging blend of turns, climbs and descents and is dubbed the Nürburgring Nordschleife of the South. While chicanes have been installed for safety reasons, the spectacle remains unaltered with speeds nearing 240kph on the final downhill section.

New for 2017 is the inclusion of the ‘joker’ lap, a first for world championship motor racing. It will require drivers to take an alternative, longer, route once in the Opening Race and once in the Main Race to further spice up the street racing action.

https://www.fiawtcc.com/fernandez-makes-it-dois-for-portugal-in-the-wtcc/