bamboo-engineering head to Shanghai with title in sights

British independent team bamboo-engineering head for the penultimate round of this year’s FIA World Touring Car Championship with the possibility of wrapping up the Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy for the first time this weekend.

The Silverstone-based operation are currently first and third in the trophy’s standings, with James Nash currently 16 points ahead of Nika Racing’s former driver Michel Nykjaer, and 32 points ahead of his bamboo team-mate Alex MacDowall.

With double points available in Macau, Nash can’t mathematically put the title out of the way of his Danish rival, although with Nykjaer not scheduled to return this season, his only realistic rival is MacDowall, and if Nash can extend his lead by 11 points, he can be assured of the title in his second year in the Championship a whole weekend early.

“I think Shanghai’s long straights should suit the Chevrolet Cruze well, despite carrying top penalty weight as always,” said Nash.
 
”Even though I’m told that it is just about possible that I could win the Independent World title this weekend, though more likely in Macau in two weeks’ time, my focus will instead be on the battle at the top of the overall standings. Yvan Muller has already secured the overall title but for the three of us behind him, Gabriele Tarquini, Tom Chilton and me, the two remaining podium slots are still up for grabs.”
 
“It would be a fantastic achievement both for me personally and also for the bamboo-engineering team if we can get a top three result in the Championship as well as winning the independents’ award. We’ll have beaten some top teams and drivers in both to get there should we manage it and I’m determined to give it my very best shot for all concerned.”

With Nash’s focus on the the overall standings, this means MacDowall will be eyeing any possible slip-up to try and take the initiative in the independents’ title.

The 22-year-old was the fastest of all of the five turbo-equipped Chevrolet drivers last time out at Suzuka, and will be hoping to take advantage of the Shanghai circuit, which should also favour the RML-built Cruze this weekend.

“I need to try and narrow the points gap to James (Nash) next weekend and then focus on Macau where we’ll be going for all-out attack”, he said. “We can win the Independents title, that’s still the aim, but we do need to beat James in Shanghai and take away some big results.

“Qualifying should be good, there are some long straights in China which suit the Chevy and the Hondas will have the same weight penalty as us, 40 kilos, so that will level things up. We should have a good chance of qualifying high up the order at Shanghai which is where we need to be.”