Monza: N.Technology preview

ITALIAN RENAISSANCE AS N.TECHNOLOGY HEADS TO MONZA

James Thompson may be British born but the FIA World Touring Car Championship race winner says N.Technology Alfa Romeo's Latin flair has rubbed off, giving him extra incentive for the team's home round in Italy next week.

N.Technology enjoyed two top-eight finishes last Sunday at Brands Hatch, making Thompson the highest WTCC points-scorer over the last six races and placing him fifth in the points overall.

Only the BMW manufacturer drivers and SEAT's Yvan Muller are ahead of Thompson in the championship standings, an incredible achievement for N.Technology's small operation, which is holding the might of Chevrolet and SEAT's four other drivers at bay.

"I've got a pretty good chance at Monza if you look at the stats," said Thompson, who is a double British Touring Car Champion. "Historically the Alfa Romeo is really good around Monza. Augusto Farfus won in the 156 last year and I won in the same car the year before so I've just got to keep the winning streak going!"

Currently fifth in the championship, 24 points behind leader Andy Priaulx, Thompson's aim is to double his victory tally by the end of the year and maintain a mathematical chance of winning the championship going into the last round.

"We always planned to come into our own in the second half of the season," said Thompson, from Harrogate. "We used the first few race meetings to develop the car and it's improved no end. For me, the year began in Anderstorp so I couldn't be more pleased with how things are going. My only regret is that we didn't win at Brands Hatch because we seemed to have the pace for it.

"Monza should be just as good; I love the circuit and know it really well. I'm hoping that by the time we leave Italy I will have gone some way to getting my goal of two more victories before the end of the season."

Team-mate Olivier Tielemans is also excited about racing at the historic Italian track, which is one of the few circuits on the WTCC calendar that he knows. "I guess this is the nearest I'll get to driving a Ferrari in front of the Tifosi, which has to be every driver's dream!" said the Dutchman. "The Alfa Romeo just gets better and better and I think I've proved this year that I can compete. Now I just need to cap it off with a good result for the team."

-credit: ntechnology.com