BRATISLAVA (11 October, 2020) – For the first time in over four years, Dutch driver Tom Coronel has won a touring car race at world championship level again. In the third race weekend of the season in the FIA WTCR – World Touring Car Cup, the highest global touring car competition sanctioned by the worldwide motorsport governing body FIA, Coronel won the second race. With his Audi RS 3 LMS in the corporate colours of DHL, run by Belgian outfit DHL Team Comtoyou Audi Sport, he was first across the line at the Slovakia Ring near Bratislava. In the weekend’s other two races, Coronel finished sixth. With these results, as a privateer driver among the factory-backed competition, he moved up to second in the championship standings. “A really great weekend. I am second in the world championship, just how cool is that?” a buoyant Coronel said after his success.

The free practice sessions at the 5.922 kilometres long Slovakia Ring already were an indication that it could turn out to be a successful weekend for Tom Coronel. In the two practice sessions, Coronel posted the second-fastest time in the 22-strong field. Coronel then kept up this good performance in the qualifying sessions with fourth place on the grid for the third race as his best result. “My best qualifying in years,” Coronel reported. “In the free practice sessions, it already went really well. In Q1, I locked up under braking, so that I only ended up eighth whereas I should have been in P2 or P3 instead. In the second heat, I was fifth, which was good, and fourth in Q3. Maybe just a little bit too cautious, but at least good starting grid positions.”

In the first race, Coronel had a really good start. “Then I went for the inside line in the corner while the outside was dry, so three drivers overtook me again,” he told. “I had rain tyres at the rear and slick tyres at the front, so it was important to manage the rain tyres as the track dried out. That worked out well and that enabled me to attack at the end. As a result, I was able to overtake Michelisz, the world champion, and Nicky Catsburg, among others, after which I finished sixth. Unfortunately, the race didn’t last another lap as I could have finished even further up. Now, we came sixth, a good result as well.”

Things went even better in the second race in which Coronel quickly made progress after another good start. He was then able to benefit by overtaking Guerrieri for the lead in the final corner. “There was some to-ing and fro-ing in the first corner already that enabled me to move up. I was keeping up nicely and I saw that Guerrieri was struggling a bit in the final corner, so I moved my car alongside his. It was a bit daring, but it worked out and I was able to win the race as a result,” Coronel said. “Super to be on the podium again as the winner for the first time since Vila Real in 2016!”

In the third race, Coronel was again in contention for a podium finish, but lost ground as he had to take avoiding action: “Michelisz went wide in turn 2, so I had to get off the throttle and even brake a bit. Eventually, I was able to make up positions again from ninth place and I finished sixth again, a result with which I am definitely happy. All in all, it was a really good weekend: the car was good and we have scored many points, so that we are now second in the drivers’ standings. That is a fantastic feeling, I am really delighted with that. I am already looking forward to the upcoming races at the Hungaroring next weekend!”

Results FIA WTCR, Slovakia Ring (Svk), 11 October 2020

Race 1:
1. Nathanaël Berthon (Fra), Audi RS3 LMS, 9 laps in 21.01.373
2. Gabriele Tarquini (Ita), Hyundai i30 N TCR, +3.054
3. Jean-Karl Vernay (Fra), Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR, +7.266
and 6. Tom Coronel (Nld), Audi RS3 LMS, +9.543

Race 2:
1. Tom Coronel (Nld), Audi RS3 LMS, 11 laps in 26.33.749
2. Gilles Magnus (Bel), Audi RS3 LMS, +1.053
3. Esteban Guerrieri (Arg), Honda Civic TCR, +3.582

Race 3:

1. Nicky Catsburg (Nld), Audi RS3 LMS, 11 laps in 24.20.767
2. Nathanaël Berthon (Fra), Audi RS3 LMS, +4.614
3. Gilles Magnus (Bel), Audi RS3 LMS, +7.039
and 6. Tom Coronel (Nld), Audi RS3 LMS, +15.579