“Intense” Nordschleife awaits WTCC rookie Gleason
Kevin Gleason is prepared for an "intense" WTCC Race of Germany as he lines up for his third appearance in the all-action FIA World Touring Car Championship at the Nürburgring Nordschleife later this week.
American Gleason has previous experience of the demanding 25.378-kilometre track from the annual ADAC 24h-Rennen. He's back this season following a two-year absence driving for RC Motorsport in the WTCC.
"It's an absolutely incredible track, the most intense and challenging in the world," said Gleason. "It's so long, so difficult, so many blind corners, so fast, no run-off room anywhere. The amount of history that goes into it makes it such a special place and to still be able to race on there is something I am thankful for."
Gleason reckons he's completed around 100 laps of the Nordschleife during his career although he's not raced there since 2014 and never in the wet.
"I definitely know the track but not as intimately as some of the drivers do," said the Pennsylvania-born racer. "I know the apexes and braking points for the most part but I'm sure there are drivers with a lot more experience who have different points picked out around the circuit that help them with the lap. I don't know it in the wet either because in all my laps I was lucky enough to do it in the dry, which is very very rare so I think I'm going to have a rude awakening if it's wet for sure."
He continued: "These [TC1 World Touring Cars are going to be really difficult to drive round there, a lot of commitment and a lot of holding your breath. When you're on your own and you're putting in a flying lap it's absolutely incredible but when you're in the middle of a race and there's people in front of you and behind you then it makes it really, really difficult. There's too much going on that you can't event get focused on the driving. It's ridiculous."
Zdroj: fiawtcc.com