Brutal Fish Racing’s Pepe Oriola was pleased with his qualifying performance at Monza, with fifth place giving him a third-row start for both of the TCR Europe races at the weekend.
Oriola enjoyed his best qualifying session of the year to-date, putting his Honda in fifth for race one, just under half a second off the pace.
The Spaniard is confident of making a good start in race one, and insists that he will do what he can to assist team-mate Dan Lloyd in he race.
“I’m happy because we worked really as a team,” said Oriola to TouringCars.Net. “In the first outing I put in a good time when I was in the tow of Dan, and then Dan in my tow got into the top also of Q1.
“In Q2 we just tried our best, but it’s really hard to go on the limit here and I made a little mistake in Turn 1, which cost me to be on the same pace as the front two.
“But anyway, for me it’s a good position for me to fight from, because I start both races in the middle, so I can fight for both podiums, which is what I need.
“I only need one win and then who knows, because what I want now is to get points and to help the team get as many points as possible.”
Oriola admitted to being surprised by the pace of the BRC Hyundai cars, with Mat’o Homola just over a tenth slower in sixth.
“What surprised me is that the Hyundai of Homola, running 95% power, 40 kg heavier than us and 90 mm ride height, is still there fighting with me.
“Me, with 0 kg, running 80 mm ride height, with a double tow and perfect slipstream, and still he’s just behind me. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong, it just surprises me.”
Oriola doesn’t expect his team-mate Lloyd to be able to hold off the challenge of the Audi of Mehdi Bennani in the race, but insists that he will support the Brit’s title bid if he can.
“We knew that it was going be like this [with the Audis]. He [Bennani] didn’t have a tow, he did his lap on his own, and Dan had a double tow, so that’s why he was so close.
“In the race, even if Dan manages to pass him at the start, it is impossible to defend, because the difference in speed is massive and it’s going to be really hard.
“If I make a good start and I am behind Dan then we can work together. The main goal is to win the championship for the teams.
“Now he [Lloyd] is leading, and I am really far away, so I’m not going to do anything stupid to make him lose positions. If he is second and I am third, then I am not going to make a risky move to pass him.
“For me the most important thing is that JAS, Honda and the team are happy, so we have a project for next year.”