On Wednesday and Thursday this week in changing weather conditions, BMW’s RBM team and Chevrolet spent two days testing at Portimão’s new Autódromo do Algarve, in Southern Portugal, the venue that will host rounds 11 and 12 of this year’s FIA WTCC on July 4th.
Rain poured down at intervals on the first day, while by the end of Thursday morning the track finally dried up completely.
Facing his fourth season as BMW Motorsport driver, Brazilian youngster Augusto Farfus completed his first test in the BMW 320si run by Bart Mampaey’s RBM outfit, in which he joins triple WTCC champion Andy Priaulx.
Chevrolet fielded two Cruze LT cars during the test, for 2008 world champion Yvan Muller and Robert Huff, who both had already tested two weeks ago in Valencia. Alain Menu attended the test and the briefing, but did not drive. He will be back at the wheel together with his two team-mates during the team’s last test session before the beginning of the season, on February 17th and 18th at Valencia again.