The 9th and 10th rounds of the FIA WTCC will take place in Spain, at Valencia’s Circuit Ricardo Tormo on May 30th and 31st. This is the sixth consecutive visit of the FIA Touring Cars to the Spanish stadium-like racetrack.
Alfa Romeo dominated the 2004 FIA European Touring Car Championship meeting, with Fabrizio Giovanardi and Gabriele Tarquini who took one victory apiece. The following year, on the FIA WTCC inaugural season, local hero Jordi Gené started from pole position to give the new SEAT León its first win, while Jörg Müller won Race 2 for BMW. In 2006 Alfa Romeo won again with Augusto Farfus in the first race and BMW’s Jörg Müller encored in the second one. The 2007 event was the Italian manufacturer’s swan song as James Thompson claimed a double victory after two breathtaking races.
Last year the Chevrolet team broke their duck at the Spanish racetrack. Robert Huff, who had been involved in three consecutive first-turn pile ups from 2005 to 2007, charged from fourth on the grid to first under the chequered flag. In Race 2 Alain Menu scored Chevrolet’s second win of the day, while his team-mate Huff recovered from eight on the reverse grid to a brilliant second.