After Formula 1, the World Touring Car Championship is among the most watched car championships worldwide, perhaps because it is run by cars close to production ones. With 12 two-race events, spread over four continents, it also offers one of the busiest schedules. The 2012 season started at the Monza circuit, Italy. Motul was a technical partner there of Bamboo Engineering, a private team based at Silverstone and which is entering Chevrolets, entrusted to Alex MacDowall and Pascale Di Sabatino.
In the first race, despite a difficult departure where the driver was hindered by slower contenders, MacDowall finished 2nd in the Yokohama Trophy* and 8th in the overall standings. Just like the first race, the second was extremely intense. Having started from 3rd place thanks to the reverse grid system, Alex had to fight like a lion to finish 3rd in the Yokohama Trophy and 7th in the overall standings after managing to bring his car back on track after leaving it. For Alex, 'Finishing on the Yokohama Trophy podium, for my first WTCC race, is obviously pleasing, but I could have won the second race without the mistake'.
Pascale Di Sabatino was less lucky, forced to abandon in the second race. The team holds an excellent 2nd place in the Yokohama Teams Trophy, which it will defend at the next event, in Spain at the Valencia circuit in the last weekend of March.
* Specific classification reserved for private teams.
Yokohama Drivers Trophy Standings
01// Stefano D'Aste (BMW), 14 pts
02// Pepe Oriola (Seat), 14 pts
03// Alex MacDowall (Chevrolet), 14 pts Motul
…
08// Pascale Di Sabatino (Chevrolet), 2 pts Motul
Yokohama Teams Trophy Standings
01// ROAL Motorsport, 24 pts
02// Bamboo Engineering, 12 pts Motul
03// Wiechers-Sport, 10 pts
