Tom Coronel
Tom Coronel, born in Nardeen (Netherland) on 5th April 1972, is one of the most expert drivers in the starting grid of the World Touring Car Championship. Coronel has taken part in all the races of WTCC since 2005, when WTCC was opened. The Ducth driver has participate to 201 races of the 204 in history, where he won 2 Yokohama Indipendent Trophy, 4 races (Japan 2008, 2011, and 2013 and Slovakia 2013) and 10 podiums. By four years he drive for the italian team ROAL Motorsport. Besides WTCC, Coronel has taken part to 10 edition of the 24 houres of Le Mans between 1999 and 2010. The best result was the 8th position in 2002. Since 2009, he partecipates to Dakar Rally with his twin brother Tim, first like a driver then like a reporter for Dutch TV. In his palmares there is also the Formula Nippon, that he won in 1999. So we are honored to display the exclusive interview that Tom Coronel had issued to MotorSport Italia.
What are your first impressions about the new Chevrole Cruze? What are the main differences between Chevy and BMW?
“Until now I don’t know, because I didn’t drive the car yet. Maybe at the end of March there will be the first roll out. Seems different in thinking with the car and, of course, I will miss my rear wheeldrive car 🙂 ,but I raced more with front wheeldrive cars like Seat and I won the European Citroen Cup long time ago so… I’m not worried.
Cars seem more big rough more cool, so I can’t wait to try my new girlfriend…”
In recent years Chevrolet was the most competitive car on the starting grid. Do you think that you could reach more top results than previously?
“Top will be difficult, because of the difference in budget. Citroen, Honda and Lada are factory teams and they have so much more money that they have a big advantage over us. But it seems that the experience also counts, so I expect podiums but not as the class the factory teams have. In motorsport: Money talks, Bullshit walks… But we wait and see: I never give up.”
This is the fourth year which you drive for the italian team ROAL Motorsport, what is you relationship with the team? Do you like italian atmosphere?
“First of all, the team is like a family. You feel 100% trust both ways and also the thinking is not about motorsport business, but all is about the result because Roberto (Ravaglia, ndr) was a driver himself so his thinking is like mine. Aldo (Preo, ndr) is a motorsport fanatic and he supports the racing team on a sportive site, so all these important people have a racing mind and I like that a lot. After 3 years we know each other for 100% and that helps in making decisions fast. Also I’m working for the 4th year with Pietro, my engineer, and after more time together you can work better with eachother, so I’m very very very happy with Roal. ‘Its the best team I have had in my racing business 25 years now. Italians are motorsport history fanatics, so this helps 🙂 🙂 🙂 ”
In WTCC the most demanding race is the last of the championship at Macau. What are your emotions when you drive on the narrow streets of that circuit? Do you think that in this circuit the driver could make the difference?
“I’m strong in street circuits as you see my CV. I drove for about 15 times there and I always reached very strong results. I like street circuits and bumpy tracks because than more a drivers skill than a good car. It is very exciting and no place for errors give the driver a bigger thrill 🙂 🙂 I like a lot.”
Coronel esulta dopo la vittoria in JPN 08
You had participate in all the seasons and all the races of the WTCC since 2005. What was the most important year for you? In the 201 races where you had participate what was the race that had given you more emotions?
“First win in Japan with my Tyre trick. Front slicks and rear rain tyres. Everybody before the race said you are crazy but only one person can think about this, and it worked, I won the race. The car was one of the slowest, but I was more clever and we won hahahaha. I beat all factory teams with a lot of money hahahaha. I like still like it. Now in the paddock they talk about the Coronel tyre combination 🙂 🙂 “
In the past you had taken part to ten editions of the 24 hours of Le Mans. What are the differences between a WTCC car and a prototype? What are the best memories of this races?
“Le Mans is a beautiful big event and it has a different style than WTCC. It is an extra race, once a year, so it gives a different feeling. Last few years I didn’t have contacts with the teams because these times I was on holiday with the family. I’m travelling a lot and so I’m so busy that I haven’t worked on it anymore. The best year was the first with Jan Lammers. Best memory is driving 300km/h plus on the straights. It is something very special in the night. I never forget this feelling. Crowds are so big and relaxed…”
Tom e Tim Coronel alla Dakar 2013
Since 2009 you take part to Rally Dakar with your twin brother Tim. For a driver that used to race on the circuit all over the world, what is the bigger difficulty in this kind of competition?
“It is not a race, it’s an advanture that I did with Tim and he is still doing it with the buggy. Last 2 years I was there as a holland TV reporter, it’s very nice to experience this. The 2009 Dakar Rally was good to have done it because other piece of motorsports was for us nice to see and feel. 2,5 weeks in this nice views mountains nature wauw it’s so cool and you can only feel if you have done it. Many times I thought it’s impossible, but we did it so we learned that everything is possible with a Bowler car 🙂 🙂 so steep hills up and down unreallll”
What was the edition of the Rally Dakar that gave you more satisfactions? What was the moment that you can consider such as the most important of this adventure?
“The nature, the support off all competitors and unreal crowds. The pope would be jealous that so many people waiting and waiving for us.”
What is the training that a driver had to make to get ready for the Dakar?
“Skills on the desert like wave surfing, but than on the sand.”
Looking forward to the 2014 WTCC season, with the new regulations, do you think that Yvan Muller can continue his supremacy also with Citroen?
“No, his car, the last year, was so much better than the others and it was too easy for him. This year I hope cars will be more equal, than wait and see 🙂 “
What do you think about the arrive of the nine times World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb?
“It’s a good promotion and we will see how nice is his personality because WTCC is a family and not a one man show. I hope he can work like 🙂 🙂 “
What is the target that you want to achieve at the end of the season?
“Giving Roal Motorsport as much trophies as possible and collect many points to be in top 3 at the end of the season”
