WTCC: Imola. “Historic” result of Lada Priora thanks to Hexathron.

The third last round of the World Touring Cars Championship (WTCC) that took place in Imola last weekend will remain an event to be engraved in Lada’s racing history: for the first time since the Russian House is engaged in competitions its car gained ranking points for the World Championship, finishing sixth overall in both the scheduled races with its new model Priora.

Without any doubt the merit of the extraordinary growth of competitiveness of Lada Priora, which doesn’t tally with the past, has to be attributed both to the technical development done on the car by Hexathron Racing Systems in only four races and to the adamantine talent demonstrated once again by the really fast British driver James Thompson, who driving close to its limits, but also very wisely and profitably, has been able to get the best from the Lada Priora entrusted to him by the Team Lada Sport.

After having marked the fifteenth time in the qualifying practice, with the tenth fastest time obtained in the warm up, Thompson has already made understand to be absolutely able to race up to the best.

In Race 1, because of a multiple collision triggered by the drivers of the first line ready to go, the fast English driver managed to stay out of the fray (though some damages on the bodywork) gaining the sixth place already from the first lap.

This placement has been defended with determination and perseverance throughout the whole race, always trying to move up the results list, until to win the first "historical" points of Lada in the World Championship. Also in Race 1 has to be remembered the great performance of the other Lada’s driver Van Lagen who remained ninth overall until few laps from the end when he was forced to withdraw after a disastrous bumper to bumper crash caused by a BMW driver.

Race 2, in which Thompson started in the second line by the usual inversion of the first eight positions of the grid, confirmed the top form of the “driver – car’s” package: in spite of a not so happy departure, Thompson was able to maintain the fifth position overall during most of the race, giving way to the Seat of Gene only close to the end, finishing once again in sixth position.

The satisfaction of the Lada’s team leaders is justified and enormous. They repeatedly testified their enthusiasm for the progresses achieved so quickly by Hexathron Racing Systems on the Priora.