Aleksei Dudukalo will join James Thompson at LADA Sport Lukoil to drive one of the team’s LADA Granta cars in the 2013 FIA World Touring Car Championship.
The 36-year old driver from Moscow will face his third season in WTCC after two years at the wheel of Lukoil Racing Team’s SEAT León cars. His best result was a second place behind his team-mate Gabriele Tarquini at the Slovakia Ring last year.
Dudukalo is not new to LADA Sport, having clinched the 2012 Russian Ice Racing title in a Lukoil-backed LADA Kalina.
“I am glad to continue racing in the WTCC, especially because now I have the opportunity to do it for a factory team and in a Russian car. I hope that James and I will make life difficult for our competitors. I can’t wait to start testing the LADA Granta on the track!” Dudukalo said.
LADA Sport principal Victor Shapovalov commented: “We are pleased to welcome Aleksei, and we are confident he has the potential to achieve very good results in his third season in the World Championship.”