All these news have been apearing in the euro-stc site in the last weeks:


19 Jun 2003

HONDA ETCC PROGRAMME STEPS UP WITH JAS

PRO Motorsport and JAS Motorsport have signed an agreement to upgrade their alliance in the FIA European Touring Car Championship. At the next meeting in Donington Park, JAS Motorsport will be in charge to run the two Honda Civic Type-R cars on behalf of PRO Motorsport. ?We will also look after the technical and logistics assistance at the racetrack, and we have already revised the cars after Brno in our own workshop,? JAS engineer Stefano Fini revealed.

Since 1998 JAS Motorsport works in close cooperation with Honda and their wins in the German the British and the European Touring Car Championships earned them the status of Honda Europe?s department for the development of the Civic Type-Rs in racing and rallying. ?In the current season ? Fini points out ? the cars we built have already scored significant successes. The Super Production models won races in the Baltic, the British and the Finnish championships, while a Super 2000-spec Civic identical to PRO Motorsport?s cars, won the latest round of the Swedish championship. So far we are very happy with our engines, while we have planned further developments on the suspension.?

The meeting in Donington marks JAS Motorsport?s return to ETCC after they fought for the 2001 Super Touring title; then Gabriele Tarquini and his Honda Accord won nine races and were classified third in the Championship. JAS?s presence in the ETCC will amount to nine people, including Fini as technical director; PRO Motorsport?s Alan Martin remains in charge as sporting director. ?We expect to make a big leap forward in performances. We know the car has a huge potential, we just have to fully exploit it. And I?m sure we will be able to do it thanks to JAS?s expertise,? said Martin. The second car will also be fitted with an Xtrac, 6-speed sequential gearbox; the team is currently talking to a number of good drivers, who are keen to join André Couto. In the picture: one of the PRO Motorsport Honda Civics, with André Couto at the wheel.




23 Jun 2003

TAVANO JOINS COUTO IN THE SECOND HONDA

PRO Motorsport and JAS Motorsport have hired Salvatore Tavano to drive their second Honda Civic Type-R car in Donington Park. Thus the young Italian driver returns to the FIA European Touring Car Championship, of which he was a regular competitor in 2001 and 2002.Last year he drove one of the Honda cars, at that time run by CiBiEmme Team, and managed to obtain promising results, being classified three times in seventh positions.

Following the agreement between PRO Motorsport and JAS Motorsport to enhance the Honda ETCC programme, Tavano was the obvious choice to join André Couto in the team. ?He?s quick and he knows the car well,? team manager Alan Martin said. ?He?s definitely in a position to give us a valuable help in developing the car.?

In the current season, Tavano is committed to the Italian Super Production Championship, at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 147 run by the Clever Cats R&M team. After six rounds he has scored two race wins and leads the classification by six points from BMW?s Gianluca De Lorenzi. ?Obviously my priority remains the Italian Championship, but I?m very pleased they asked me to drive in Donington,? commented Tavano, adding. ?I feel twice rewarded. First of all because JAS Motorsport and PRO Motorsport thought about me when they were looking for a driver capable of giving a contribution to develop the car, and secondly because of this opportunity to get back in the European Championship. I really want to do my best to help the team. As for the following rounds, any decisions has been taken. Providing I will be forced to miss the meeting in Anderstorp, due to a clash with the Italian round in Varano, I am available to race again

4 Jul 2003

TOP SPEEDS AT DONINGTON FOR THE HONDA CIVICS

The JAS Motorsport?s cure proved very effective, boosting the PRO Motorsport Honda Civic Type-R cars to score their first points in the FIA European Touring Car Championship.

In Donington Park, on the 9th and 10th rounds of the series, the two Civics driven by André Couto and Salvatore Tavano, managed to keep an impressive pace.

In the first race Tavano, on his return to the Championship, was closely chasing a group of drivers fighting over the 5th position: Volvo?s Rickard Rydell, Alfa Romeo?s Roberto Colciago and BMW?s Duncan Huisman amongst them. Eventually Tavano was classified 9th, giving PRO Motorsport their best result so far in the season, with his team-mate Couto in 12th position. Tavano?s set his fastest lap at 1:43.277, only six tenths of a second slower than race winner Gabriele Tarquini?s fastest time.

In the second race things went even better, with Couto fighting with the works Alfa Romeo of Nicola Larini and the works BMW of Andy Priaulx for fourh position. The Macanese driver finished the race in sixth, just ahead of Tavano, their Honda Civics breaking into the points for the first time since the joined the ETCC last year. Couto?s fastest lap was clocked at 1:42.747, just half a second slower than race winner Jörg Müller?s.

The Honda cars showed substantial progress under JAS?s technical management and they were particularly impressive in terms of speed, with Tavano and Couto setting the fastest velocities at the finish line speed trap: 139.8 and 139.5 kph respectively. The Japanese cars are now expected to further improve their positions in Spa, where acceleration and top speed are important issues. In the picture: Couto?s Honda Civic chased by one of the works SEAT cars in Donington.





The TOV will now follow closely the Euro-STC Civics 'till the end of the current season, and hoping for improved performance in the upcoming events. Even though it would be difficult for the private team to challenge the fully factory supported ones from Alfa Romeo, BMW, and SEAT (a Volkswagen group mark)

Last edited by Tuan on July 08, 2003 23:01