Photo: Romeo Ferraris

Fabrizio Giovanardi excited ahead of Alfa Romeo comeback

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Fabrizio Giovanardi will return to Alfa Romeo in a Giulietta TCR in this year’s World Touring Car Cup. The Italian already tested the car at Monza and is eager to get back to full-time racing after his last full season in the British Touring Car Championship in 2014.

“I am excited ahead of this fresh challenge,” said the driver from Sassuolo to TouringCarTimes. “I know there is work to do, but I’ve never been scared by hard work. I’m back because I love racing and I want to win. I was impressed by the passion of the people at Romeo Ferraris and decided to take on this new, exciting project.”

The opposition level means Giovanardi will not have it easy on track, something the multiple touring car champion is fully aware of.

“With people like Gabriele (Tarquini), Yvan (Muller) as well as some fresh blood, I know I can’t even spare a thousandth of a second on track. On the other hand, I’m not here to make up numbers, so we will aim as high as possible. The car has been successful in the past, so we’re hoping to build on that and mount a serious challenge.”

The excitement of the fans was an extra motivation for the touring car legend, after a long winter spent trying to find the right project for a comeback.

“I have recently opened a Facebook page and I was amazed at the support people still give me. I knew I couldn’t let them down, so I got my head down with my staff and sought the best solution for me. I know the names of myself and Alfa Romeo are like an icon, especially in Italy. It is an extra motivation as well as a positive pressure, because I want to live up to the expectations of so many people who have supported me for years.”

Giovanardi says the race he did in September with BF Motorsport in TCR Italy, sharing a SEAT León TCR with Alessandro Thellung at Vallelunga, was also confirmation to himself of how much he still loved racing.

“I hadn’t been doing anything really for three years, but the taste of competition and all those positive feelings came back. Although we didn’t get the result we wanted, it confirmed to me I just wanted to do what I’ve been doing my whole life, and that’s racing cars. I can’t wait for Marrakech to come to see where we are compared to the opposition.”