MacDowall is looking to build upon his solid WTCC debut in Monza - Photo Credit: Romano Poli/www.photo-4.com
Alex MacDowall is aiming for better results at the second round of the World Touring Car Championship at Valencia despite a good debut race weekend in Monza.
The 21-year-old bamboo engineering driver jointly leads the Yokohama Trophy standings with Stefano D'Aste and Pepe Oriola after the opening round in Italy. Although impressing onlookers as he quickly adapted to the switch from the BTCC, he is confident he can improve this weekend.
“We can aim a bit higher at Valencia, we can definitely do better than at Monza,” said the TCF blogger. “There I really just wanted to get the first weekend in the championship out of the way with a couple of decent results, but now I'm aiming for more.
“I think the Cruze will be the strongest front-wheel drive car in Valencia but everyone says it's a BMW track so D'Aste should be strong. We need to stay out of trouble and try to pick up as many points as we can, but I'm also going there to try and win at least one race.”
MacDowall may be driving the same model of car as he did in Britain, but the addition of a turbocharger and a change to Yokohama tyres still prevented a challenge.
“I think after Monza I'm used to the car and tyres really,” he said. “In terms of getting the raw speed, I'm fine with that, the thing to get used to is the difference with the turbo not having the engine braking of a normally aspirated car like the Cruze I had in the BTCC last year. I've had to adapt to that, the front-end is a bit heavier too, but other than that I think we're pretty much there really.
“The Dunlop tyres I ran on in the BTCC the last couple of years probably had better grip over a single lap but the Yokohamas are much more durable, more consistent through the race, so you're able to keep putting the lap times in.”
Click here to read Alex's latest blog written in the aftermath of his WTCC debut in Italy.
