Pepe Oriola explains Algarve test outing and provides update on 2023 plans
Pepe Oriola was driving for RC2 Racing Team in TCR Europe’s pre-event test day at Algarve, but he has revealed to TouringCarTimes he will not be racing this weekend.
The Spaniard came 11th in TCR Europe last year, switching mid-season from Brutal Fish Racing Team to Team Aggressive Italia who he now is a driver coach for.
However this weekend he is working with RC2 and their fleet of Audi RS 3 LMS IIs, and TouringCarTimes asked him if that would also involve racing the car.
“No. I was here just helping the Fernandez brothers [who drive for RC2],” he replied. “And as we had the spare car from the third brother [Victor], who is doing TCR Italy, I was just setting up the car and going around a bit.
“I have a full-time job with Team Aggressive Italia, but as my driver which is Levente Losonczy, who scored a podium in TCR Italy last weekend, is not here, I’m helping with this team this weekend. But I will be full-time with Agressive as well.”
On the prospect of Oriola racing elsewhere this year, having been a full-time competitor in the World Touring Car Championship and then a variety of TCR series over the last 12 years, the 28-year-old added: “No, I don’t think so, to be honest. It was close though.”
There is set to be 22 cars on the grid for this weekend’s joint TCR World Tour and TCR Europe opener at Algarve, and the first practice session gets underway at 11:54 local time.
