Independent WTCC racer Tom Coronel, winner of the Independent’s Title in 2006, has suffered a huge blow to his championship aspirations, after his team SEAT Holland were forced to pull the plug on the team and withdraw from the series.
The team’s main financer, Dutch SEAT importer Pon Car, was forced to make cutbacks after financial difficulties.
Pon Car released a statement on the decision to pull out: “Due to decreasing passenger car sales, the motorsport budget has been cut with this decision as a result. At the same time, it is the intention to remain involved in motorsport, together with Tom Coronel. Various possibilities are being considered for the 2010 season, so that a well-balanced decision can be made.”
This has dented hopes of taking his 3rd major Touring Car title, after being 16 points behind Proteam BMW driver Felix Porteiro in the standings after Brands Hatch.
Coronel and the team will race at the next two events at Oschersleben and Imola, but will miss the final two events at Okayama and Macau.
Whether he will be able to find a temporary seat elsewhere for those final two rounds is unknown, but if sufficient funding is secured, he may well end up racing a SEAT León for Exagon Engineering.