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ROAL Motorsport double for 2012

ROAL Motorsport press release

Tom Coronel, BMW 320 TC, ROAL Motorsport

Tom Coronel, BMW 320 TC, ROAL Motorsport

FIA WTCC

Italy-based ROAL Motorsport will step up to a two-car team for the 2012 FIA World Touring Car Championship.

After making their comeback to the series in 2011, with only one BMW 320 TC car, the outfit directed by former world champion Roberto Ravaglia are ready to double their effort with the aim to be again among the protagonists with the drivers Tom Coronel and Alberto Cerqui.

Tom Coronel is now facing his second season with the team; the 39-year old Dutchman emerged as the best of the rest in 2011, claiming one victory at Suzuka and being classified fourth in the Drivers' Championship behind the Chevrolet trio.

Tom Coronel, BMW 320 TC, ROAL Motorsport race winner
Tom Coronel, BMW 320 TC, ROAL Motorsport race winner

Photo by: xpb.cc

The team's second car will be entrusted to Alberto Cerqui; although he is only 19 years old, the Italian racer has already established himself as a rising star of touring car competitions, clinching the 2011 Italian Superstars title on his first year in a professional championship.

Roberto Ravaglia (ROAL Motorsport, Team Principal): "I am extremely satisfied for lining up two cars in the WTCC 2012. It is not going to be easy to repeat the very good results scored in 2011 but I am confident and motivated by the presence of two drivers like Tom Coronel and Alberto Cerqui. Tom will give experience and reliability to the team, while Alberto is a young promising driver that showed in 2011 his talent and skill in adapting rapidly to new circuits. Our budget will be extremely limited to compete in a technical championship like WTCC but I count on the experience of my technical staff and in the reliability of the BMW 320TC to be among the protagonists".

Having the chance to continue racing for ROAL Motorsport is a further cause of enthusiasm.

Alberto Cerqui

Tom Coronel:
"2011 has been very positive to me: race after race I improved the feeling with the team and we ended up fighting constantly for the podium in the last four rounds of the season. Building on the final fourth place obtained last year the objective cannot be other than improving it and winning some more races; classification-wise I feel I can fight for the third place".

Alberto Cerqui:
"After winning the Italian Superstars 2011, FIA WTCC is the natural choice to continue my career in touring racing cars. Having the chance to continue racing for ROAL Motorsport is a further cause of enthusiasm, even if I am aware that it is not going to be a walk in the park as a lot of circuits will be new to me and the level of rivals will be very high".

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