DA Racing made a quiet start to the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship in Spain, however they looked to step up their game at the World RX of Portugal.
With the French team making its full time debut in the series, their aim in Portugal was to have at least one car reach the Semi-Finals and Jean-Baptiste Dubourg worked hard to try an achieve this goal. However hampered by engine issues which ment he was on the the attack in each Qualifying session, Dubourg went on to finish the event in seventeenth position.
Despite Engine issues, Dubourg pushed hard in the World RX of Portugal. Credit: Paulo Maria / DPPI
Dubourg explained the difficulties he faced.
“We have to admit that we had a particularly complicated race in Portugal,” he explained. “We know we have to deal with an engine that does not benefit from the latest upgrades, but there has been an accumulation of small concerns that have not allowed us to perform well and everyone will have to work hard to resolve that.”
DA Racing fought hard against engine issues during the World RX of Portugal. Credit: IMG / World RX
However there were positives from the weekend.
“On the other hand, on the loose sections, the car is very good and I had a good feeling in Q4. We must now concentrate on the next round of the World Championship at Hockenheim in Germany.”
For Gregoire Demoustier, Portugal was his second World RX event and he took the learning approach to this even as he had one in Spain. He put his knowledge to the test as he go to grips with the Portuguese track, however the Belgian driver also suffered with Turbo issues and his weekend ended in twenty-first place.
Despite this, Demoustier is happy with this learning curve as he gets used to this new discipline.
Gregoire Demoustier in the DA Racing Peugeot 208 WRX in Portugal Credit: Paulo Maria / DPPI
“In Barcelona I had to learn everything, but in Montalegre I only had to concentrate on my driving,” he said. “Unfortunately, turbo problems didn’t allow me to take advantage of all of the races, but later I was able to increase the pace each lap, by braking later and later.”
“I also benefited from the advice of Andréa Dubourg who had made the trip this weekend. It’s a confidence boost that I know where I can find more tenths of a second. That is motivating for my next race at the World RX of Belgium.”
