Londrina set to host Brazilian V8 Stock Cars for the 25th time

When Brazilian V8 Stock Cars last raced in Londrina, in 2012, Felipe Fraga was 16 years old and raced at Formula Renault NEC. Since major Brazilian motorsport series visited the city in the north of Paraná state for the last time, a lot have changed. Cacá Bueno, the last man to win in the 3.145-km circuit, is still fighting for his sixth title and ready to change teams: he was announced as the new Cimed Racing driver for 2017 alongside reigning champion Marcos Gomes.

Fraga, from his single-seater years, is the current Stock Car leader, having just won a million reais in Interlagos. Money in the bank, 30 more points in the lead with the benefit of seeing his teammate and rival Gomes drop to sixth in the standings after being pushed out of the race on the first corner.

However, there are more drivers willing to get first place. Max Wilson and Rubens Barrichello - twice as old as 21-year old Felipe - are in contention 33 and 39 points behind the leader. There are 45 points at stake in Londrina, and for part of the field it represents a new track - as for Fraga and Barrichello, for example, it really is, since both have never raced in the Autódromo Ayrton Senna.

Track action is scheduled for Saturday from 7:35 am with a 10-minute shakedown followed by Free Practices 1 and 2; Qualifying takes place at 2 pm Saturday.

Vicar