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Why it’s not about the number but the names in WTCR for Filippi

John Filippi is predicting plenty of excitement when the WTCR - FIA World Touring Car Cup presented by OSCARO gets underway in Morocco next month.

Filippi has announced his return to Campos Racing for the all-new series when he will go up against a host of touring car champions on a packed 26-car grid. They include Mehdi Bennani, Thed Björk, Tom Coronel, Rob Huff, Norbert Michelisz, Yvan Muller, Gordon Shedden, Gabriele Tarquini and Jean-Karl Vernay. And Filippi, 23, has no concerns about battling them on track.

"All drivers want to fight and be in a good championship," said Corsican Filippi, who is part of the Team OSCARO programme that aims to help the next generation of champions reach the top. "Twenty-six is not just a number because we see there a lot of good drivers, a lot of champions and that will mean more competition and more excitement. Now I just need to give the best of myself and show to everybody I am here to do a good result."

Filippi, from Bastia, joined Campos Racing for this FIA World Touring Car Championship debut in 2014 and spent the next two seasons with the Barcelona outfit before switching to Sébastien Loeb Racing for 2017, when he bagged a pair of career-best fourth-place finishes.

"Many things will be new this year, new car, new series, new rules, three races each weekend, so the work will be different," said Filippi. "So for a lot of reasons I need to have a good feeling with the team. I started in the world championship with Campos, I know them well so I am very happy to be back. I hope to be very competitive from the first races and to do a good season."

As well as knowledge of his Campos Racing team, Filippi has experience of the bulk of the circuits that will feature on the 2018 WTCR calendar. "It's an advantage if we know the tracks but the drivers from TCR International know the cars so it will be interesting to see what happens. But knowing the tracks gives us some reference and some experience and maybe a bit of an advantage."

FIA WTCR Race of Morocco takes place at the semi-permanent Circuit Moulay El Hassan in Marrakech, Morocco, from 7-8 April.

Zdroj: fiawtcr.com