Reigning TCR International Series champion admits that he and his Leopard Racing team still have ‘much work to do’ despite claiming a double podium result in the second round of the season in Estoril.
Comini enjoyed a strong weekend in the second round of the TCR International Series season in Portugal, elevating him to fifth in the drivers’ championship standings thanks to a brace of podium finishes.
But the Swiss racer believes that he and his WRT-run Leopard Racing team still have much work to do to make the Volkswagen Golf Gti a regular challenger for wins over the coming season.
Comini followed team-mate Jean-Karl Vernay across the line in the opening TCR race to finish in third, before following it up with second in race two, coming through from seventh on the grid to take his best result of the season thanks to a sensational opening lap that brought all of his gains.
“After free practice we completely changed the set-up of the car, and it proved the right thing to do,” said Comini after race one. “The car felt much better. My start wasn’t great as I wanted to avoid any problems and lost one position.
“The first half of the race was a little bit boring, but then things got livelier. I managed to overtake [Aku] Pellinen and then Vernay and I joined the two leaders. Third is a good result, but we still have a lot of work to do.”
Comini admits that he was powerless to challenge eventual winner James Nash for the lead in race two, despite following the Brit for the entire race.
“I am second, so climbing another step after third in race one, which is good,” added Comini. “My start was not very good and I missed the first braking point. After that, I was behind my teammate and could pass him when he did a little mistake in turn four.
“There was not much I could do to reduce the gap with Nash, so I did not push too hard, not to kill the tyres, and I went for some heavy points.”
Despite elevating himself to fifth in the standings, Comini is still 29 points adrift of new series leader Gianni Morbidelli.