Photo: WTCC Media

Stefano D’Aste evaluating an option for a WTCC return this year

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Former FIA World Touring Car Championship driver Stefano D’Aste could be set to return to the grid this season, with the likeable Italian evaluating options in both the WTCC and the new-for-2015 TCR International Series, though D’Aste says the WTCC option is looking the most likely at the present moment.

D’Aste last season focussed his attention running the Lotus Cup Italia with his company PB Racing, with which he last raced in the WTCC in 2013 with a BMW 320 TC.

“I’m very close to one option in the WTCC, and there’s another option in the TCR which is not so close,” said D’Aste to TouringCarTimes.

“I’ve been made an offer and I’m looking at it, but if we can’t do it, we can’t do it,” he added.

With no rear-wheel drive cars in the championship, following the removal of the TC2T class for 2015, the 40-year-old admits it would be a new challenge racing a front-wheel drive car. D’Aste has principally raced only Lotuses in sports cars and BMWs in the WTCC, and his last circuit experience in a front-wheel drive car was in the Renaultsport Clio Trophy in 2000, but should he return to the WTCC this year, it will be behind the wheel of a front-wheel drive Chevrolet Cruze.

D’Aste recently raced a Citroën DS3 WRC in the Monza Rally Show last December, finishing behind the two Fords of Robert Kubica and Valentino Rossi in the event. With the DS3 WRC sharing the base engine with the 2014 championship conquering C-Elysée WTCC, D’Aste remarked “I can see how with engine they won the championship. Compared to my BMW turbo, that engine just has so much more torque.”

The Lotus Cup Italia calendar will feature no clashes with the WTCC this season, which D’Aste will continue to manage along with any racing programme this season.