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Post by Grenville on May 31, 2006 4:03:43 GMT
Subaru World Rally Team driver Chris Atkinson will make his circuit racing debut when he will compete in the Nurburg 24 Hours race on 17-18 June 2006.
The Australian will drive a 370-horsepower Subaru Impreza WRX prepared by Autosportif, along with former F3 Champion Alan van der Merwe, touring car expert Phil Bennett and Jonathan Price.
This will be a good experience for Atkinson, who is looking forward to do more mileage on tarmac: "I've never been in a circuit race before, let alone an endurance test, but I'm very excited about it. It will be a good opportunity to improve my asphalt driving style. I've been preparing by playing the Playstation game and getting to know the track! My team-mates are all experienced circuit racers and I hope I'll learn a lot from them. The Nurburgring is a classic track and I've always wanted to drive it - it should be really good fun."
"Chris is doing the event to get more experience of competing on tarmac,” explained SWRT Operations Director, Paul Howarth. “He's still relatively inexperienced on this surface and this opportunity should help him improve both his confidence and his understanding of driving on asphalt. The exercise is also valuable to Subaru as the feedback from Chris and the other drivers will be extremely useful to the development of new models
Source: yahoo.co.uk
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Post by Vivski on May 31, 2006 7:19:23 GMT
This is interesting news. I wonder how he'll go. What's your source Gren? You'll need to put a note on your post for where you got it or we'll have to remove it.
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Post by Pattse on May 31, 2006 8:19:23 GMT
I want to know more about his car. Are there any images available?
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Post by Lita on May 31, 2006 8:33:39 GMT
I read an intro into that story on WRC.com, that might be where Gren saw the article-don't know. I couldn't read the WRC.com story in full because I don't have a member account with them. Anyway's, it will be good experience for Chris if nothing else; and its about time that he had a good tarmac circuit outing.
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Post by Nick McRae on May 31, 2006 8:34:50 GMT
Will be a good "warm-up" for Germany too, guess we'll have to see if he improves on Tarmac but then I've just thought what Tyres he's on! Hahaha! Oh well let's hope for a good result for in in Germany and on the track!
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Post by chrisfinch on May 31, 2006 9:05:11 GMT
I give him half a lap before he crashes ;D
But seriously, it can only be good for him and help his tarmac credentials.
Loeb is still doing Le Mans isn't he?
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Post by Vivski on May 31, 2006 10:50:44 GMT
Honestly, the Nurburgring is not going to give him any tarmac experience he can apply to rallying. The track is almost 100% throttle with kinks and sweeping bends. Nothing like anything in the WRC. Will be fun for him though, and a good excuse to go to the World Cup!
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Post by Grenville on May 31, 2006 18:39:19 GMT
it was from yahoo.co.uk sports news
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Post by FordTeamRS on Jun 6, 2006 7:56:52 GMT
Ah the Nurburgring, I would love to do that someday myself
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Post by Mitch on Jun 6, 2006 8:55:11 GMT
The real ring that is. Such a fantastic track. You even get a thrill doing it in Gran Turismo but doing it in real life would be fantastic. One of the wholy grails of circuit racing
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