West Coast Racing Team Manager James Nixon described their performance in the TCR International Series races in Georgia as “reasonable” after four top ten finishes for the team’s two drivers.
The races at the weekend marked the first time the Swedish team had competed in anger with its new Volkswagen Golf GTi TCR machines.
After Gianni Morbidelli and Giacomo Altoè qualified in seventh and tenth respectively for race one, the positions swapped during the race, with Altoè taking the chequered flag in eighth and Morbidelli in tenth in wet weather conditions.
Race two saw Altoè start the race from the reversed-grid pole position, but the Italian wasn’t able to hold on to the lead and by the end of the opening lap he had dropped down the other to third.
When the two-lap safety car ended, Altoè slipped further down the order, eventually finishing in tenth.
Team-mate Morbidelli also slipped down the order from his fourth-place grid spot after struggling for grip in the damp and drying conditions, albeit by not as much and the Italian took seventh.
“It’s a reasonable result for us as we knew we’d be somewhat on the back foot in these early races of the season,” summarised Nixon. “We didn’t have the raw pace in the car in race conditions, that is clear, but Gianni held on for points in both races while Giacomo enjoyed the chance to start from pole position and lead a race on his debut, so that’s a huge positive.
“We know we have work to do, but it’s a new package and we’re confident that we can make progress sooner rather than later.”
Morbidelli leaves the Rustavi International Motorpark tenth overall in the championship, whilst Altoè is just one place behind in 11th.