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Why Coronel’s rain dance is still remembered ahead of WTCR 2019

CUPRA’s motorsport head Jaime Puig has said he will “never forget” Tom Coronel’s maiden victory in the FIA World Touring Car Championship after it was confirmed the Dutchman would be CUPRA-powered in 2019.

Coronel will switch to Comtoyou DHL Team CUPRA Racing for the upcoming WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup presented by OSCARO season, thereby restoring a long-standing relationship with Puig, the man who played a key role in masterminding SEAT’s WTCC success in the past.

“I am delighted that Tom Coronel has chosen CUPRA and I hope that we can achieve some nice results together again,” said Puig. “I have known Tom since he started racing touring cars in 2001, he raced for our brand for several years [and] scored his maiden victory with a SEAT at Okayama back in 2008.”

As Puig recalled, Coronel’s victory in Japan was no ordinary triumph: “Tom had a special mix of tyres, slicks on the front wheels and rain tyres on the rear wheels. I will never forget that! [Maybe] that is something he could repeat this year.”

Coronel said Puig’s role at CUPRA had been instrumental behind his decision to change cars for 2019: “[He] was the decisive factor in making me choose this option. The cars are being built at the CUPRA headquarters in Spain and are fine-tuned by Comtoyou Racing. Every weekend, a CUPRA technician will be present.”

WTCR / OSCARO season two begins at WTCR Race of Morocco from 5-7 April.

Puig (right) is pictured celebrating Coronel’s success at WTCC Race of Japan in 2008. Coronel is pictured second from left

Zdroj: fiawtcr.com