Rob Huff sets up potential podium for LADA Sport on streets of Macau
The Briton showed considerable prowess and appeared to be in complete harmony with his TC1-spec Granta Sport on Circuito da Guia.
Photo by: FIA WTCC
LADA Sport’s impressive season is set for a fitting climax as Rob Huff propelled his LADA Granta Sport to eighth and third on the grid for the final two rounds of the 2014 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) on the perilous streets of Macau (15 November).
The Briton showed considerable prowess and appeared to be in complete harmony with his TC1-spec Granta Sport on Circuito da Guia – the ‘Monaco of the East’ – navigating the high-speed circuit and positing his car between the unforgiving barriers with millimetric precision to ease into Qualifying 2 and go eighth fastest.
The car is really nice to drive around here, as it gives me the confidence to push as hard as I can and has a great balance.
Rob Huff
Teammates, James Thompson and Mikhail Kozlovskiy, had a mixed time, as the former was unlucky to encounter traffic on his flying laps to narrowly miss out on a spot in the second phase of qualifying, having frequented the top 12 positions throughout free practice.
“We had the pace to get the car into the top 12 all through free practice and I was on a lap that would have seen us through to Q2, when the Citroen of Ma Qing Hua half spun in front of me,” said Thompson. “It cost me valuable time and, while I was able to start a second timed run, I was thwarted by a red flag that stopped the session.”
Unfortunately, the red flag was caused by Kozlovskiy, the young Russian hotshot brushing the barriers on his quick lap and blocking the narrow and twisty street track. Kozlovskiy and his Granta Sport were unharmed, but the session was abandoned and both Thompson and Kozlovskiy could only spectate on Q2.
Huff, meanwhile, was pleased with his work and the six-time Macau winner and record holder at the 3.57mile Circuito da Guia was full of praise for his LADA Granta, saying: "The car is really nice to drive around here, as it gives me the confidence to push as hard as I can and has a great balance. We have the result to show for it, I am looking forward to the races, as always, and am excited at the prospect of a good finish on this amazing track."
Rounds 23 and 24 of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) will take place in quick succession at 3.00 and 4.00 (GMT) respectively and are sure to delight the assembled crowd and those tuning in to the live television coverage on Eurosport.
LADA Sport
Be part of Motorsport community
Join the conversationShare Or Save This Story
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments