The Lukoil Racing Team have also completed their pre-season test programme with two days at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão.
Once again Gabriele Tarquini and Aleksei Dudukalo took turns at the wheel of the team’s SEAT León 1.6 turbo car, under the supervision of SEAT Sport’s Chief engineer Xavier Serra.
“It was a very useful test,” Tarquini explained. “We ran for more than 2000 km with the same engine without the least technical issue. It was very encouraging, as engine reliability will be everybody’s priority in 2012. I have mainly worked on the engine mapping, keeping on with the work we had started in Spain. I always drove on used tyres and did not care too much about the chassis set-up, because we already have enough data.”
Dudukalo focused on taking the most out new tyres, in order to improve his qualifying performances.
The team will hit the track again at Monza on March 8, on the official testing day.
“At Portimão we have made another step forward and we have also indentified what to do for further improving the engine efficiency. The mapping for Monza have been decided and we will use the WTCC test day to fix the final details,” Tarquini concluded.