LADA Sport ready for the fight on Argentinian soil

There is optimism within the LADA Sport LUKOIL camp following a productive mid-season break, as the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) revs up for its next instalment at Argentina’s Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo (2-3 August).

Located on the outskirts of Termas de Rio Hondo in the province of Santiago del Estero, the 4.8km track was inaugurated in 2008 but remained unchartered territory for the WTCC contingent until last year.

Teams and drivers will face an uphill struggle to optimise their new-for-2014 TC1-spec racers to the circuit during the short free practice sessions and LADA Sport LUKOIL is hopeful that time spent refining its trio of Granta Sports, which boast an array of new developments and a significantly lighter construction, will yield results on Argentinian soil.

Mikhail Kozlovskiy grabbed the headlines and outpaced his more experienced teammates to lead the LADA Sport LUKOIL attack on only his first outing on Belgium’s legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in June.

The young Russian hotshot is hopeful the momentum will stay with him in Argentina and points finishes are the target with a sharpened and improved LADA Granta Sport, particularly after achieving a podium in an unrelated Legends Race, which ran as part of the illustrious support bill for the Russian round of the DTM (12 July).

Former World Champion Rob Huff and fellow countryman James Thompson share Kozlovskiy’s optimism heading to the South American continent.

Gritty and determined drives through the field came to nothing for Huff during the WTCC’s maiden visit to Argentina last year, but the Briton is riding high after a triumphant outing in a historic Super Touring car race at the Silverstone Classic, which holds the prestigious title as the ‘World’s Biggest Motor Racing Festival’.

LADA Sport