Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA

FNIPPON: Andr? Couto's Albacete test recap

André Couto back in Europe. Portuguese driver had a positive test with Vergani Racing. André Couto, was present at the Spanish track of Albacete, for 2 days (Tuesday and Wednesday), of testing with the Vergani Racing Team. Couto drove the new ...

André Couto back in Europe.
Portuguese driver had a positive test with Vergani Racing.

André Couto, was present at the Spanish track of Albacete, for 2 days (Tuesday and Wednesday), of testing with the Vergani Racing Team. Couto drove the new Dallara V6 Nissan, the car the team will enroll for the Formula Super Nissan Championship. For the young Portuguese driver, this was the first step to his return to European racing, upon living one year in Japan in order to compete in the Formula Nippon Championship.

The Vergani Racing Team, was the first to receive the new Dallara, and took advantage of Couto's availability in order to help out with the development of the car: "I was in Macau, when Francesco Marzi, one of Vergani Racing's associates, called me up to invite me to Spain for development tests", explained Couto:" being quite fond of new challenges, I immediately accepted the invite, especially since I was already wanting to get into one of the Super Nissan Teams, a championship I consider very competitive".

André Couto tested for two days and at the end he couldn't be more pleased: "The car is quite interesting. It is agile like a Formula 3, but with the strength of a Formula 3000, which turns this car very competitive. When I was in the Formula 3000, the cars were quite heavy on the corners, retrieving a bit of the `life'. This car, on the contrary, is very fast during the change of directions, allowing the car, although less potent (415hpw), than a Formula Nippon (500hpw) or a F3000 (430hpw), make the same or similar times to the opponents. I am very pleased with this machine".

Francesco Marzi remarked: "We needed an experienced driver to help develop the new car. Thanks to his incredible experience in both the Formula Nippon and in the Formula 3000, we decided to invite André Couto for this particular job, and now we can say we are very pleased with our choice. Andre proved to be very professional and was able to give us incredible feedback on the car's reactions when modified. Proof of this is the faster times we got here at Albacete. We stared by 1.26.8, and at the end of the second day we were making 1.19.2. The car was completely `virgin' and now we have a basis to continue our development".

About Couto's future: "All I can say is that my intention is to participate in this particular championship. There is a 90% chance to stay with Vergani, although other proposals are being taken under consideration. I would enjoy returning to this team. They are very professional and I've known them from other seasons. I am returning to Macau, but I am sure everything will be settled by next week".

-dca-

Be part of Motorsport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Sandy Dells Racing tests drivers
Next article SBRS: Sebring: Southern Regional race report

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Motorsport prime

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Edition

USA