Lynk & Co Cyan Racing is back at the very fast and spectacular street race in Vila Real for the first time since 2019 this weekend where the Joker Lap returns - continuing a hectic schedule after taking the Motorland Aragon chequered flag less than a week ago.
The Portuguese circuit features very fast corners, tight chicanes where cars get up on two wheels and top speeds of well over 200 km/h between the barriers.
"This is our second street race this year, so it's an intense start of the season. The atmosphere in Vila Real is really insane with a huge crowd of proper racing fans. I really like the circuit and its rhythm, you need to have proper commitment to perform well," said Yann Ehrlacher.
This weekend also sees the return of the Joker Lap, a rallycross-style feature to improve overtaking where driver must take an alternate, longer, course of the circuit once during each race.
"The joker lap adds another dimension to the races, both in terms of driving and strategy. It's really important to get it right, it could be the difference of a win or being outside of the podium. I've not had the start to the season that I wanted so far, but I love street circuits like Vila Real and I hope to bounce back strongly together with the team this weekend," said Thed Björk, who has won at Vila Real in the past.
Santiago Urrutia, who is placed third overall after his podium finish in Spain last weekend, has never before raced at Vila Real.
"I've never raced at Vila Real and it will be only my second street race, and it's very different to Pau-Ville where we raced earlier this year. I've done simulator work to prepare and I will try to get up to speed as fast as possible. Our competitors are very light and very fast, so we need to keep pushing hard to score good points in the races," said Santiago Urrutia.
While Ma Qing Hua is new to Lynk & Co Cyan Racing for 2022, he has raced at Vila Real before, scoring a podium finish the last time the WTCR visited the Portuguese circuit.
"I really like Vila Real and I have had strong results here in the past. I expect a tough fight this weekend and I hope that we can take a step forward in the results," said Ma Qing Hua.
Yvan Muller has just as team-mate Thed Björk won at Vila Real in the past, expecting a tough weekend of very high temperatures.
"We are back on track, barely one week after the races in Aragón. Vila Real is a demanding and difficult circuit, as often is the case with street circuits. It's going to be very hot, giving a hard time for both drivers and mechanics. We suffered in the previous race from a lack of performance. But nevertheless, we have the best car and the team is capable to do the difference. We never give up," said Yvan Muller.
The Portuguese WTCR weekend starts on Saturday with practice and qualifying, followed by two races on Sunday which are broadcast LIVE on: eurosportplayer.com
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WTCR Race of Portugal
Schedule
Times in WEST (-1h CEST)
Saturday - July 2nd
09:00 - FP1 - 45 min
12:00 - FP2 - 45 min
17:05 - Qualifying
Sunday - July 3rd
13:10 - Race 1 - 30 min + 1 lap
17:15 - Race 2 - 25 min + 1 lap
Standings - Drivers
1 Mikel Azcona 129 points
2 Gilles Magnus 95 (-34)
3 Santiago Urrutia 93 (-36)
4 Rob Huff 93 (-36)
5 Yann Ehrlacher 92 (-37)
...
8 Ma Qing Hua 68 (-61)
10 Yvan Muller 63 (-66)
13 Thed Björk 30 (-99)
Standings - Teams
1 BRC Hyundai 165 points
2 Cyan Racing Lynk & Co 155 (-10)
3 Münnich Motorsport 150 (-15)
4 Cyan Performance Lynk & Co 138 (-27)
5 Comtoyou Audi 127 (-38)
2022 FIA World Touring Car Cup calendar
May 7/8 – France – Circuit de Pau-Ville
May 26/28 – Germany – Nürburgring Nordschleife
June 11/12 – Hungary – Hungaroring
June 25/26 – Spain – MotorLand Aragón
July 2/3 – Portugal – Circuito do Vila Real
July 23/24 – Italy – Vallelunga
August 6/7 – France – Anneau du Rhin
October 8/9 – South Korea – Inje Speedium
November 5/6 – China – Ningbo International Speedpark
November 18/20 – Macau – Macau
Media contact information
Johan Meissner
Press Manager
Cyan Racing
+46(0)70 241 3234
johan.meissner@cyanracing.com
About Cyan Racing
Cyan Racing was founded in 1996 and was formerly named Polestar until Volvo Cars acquired the performance section and trademark in 2015. Cyan Racing is privately owned and operated. The team has claimed the last five touring car World Titles, most recently the 2021 WTCR drivers' and teams' titles with Lynk & Co – and participated in the development of the Polestar performance models of the Volvo S60 and V60 in the years 2013 to 2015, including the concept models Volvo C30 and S60 Polestar Concept Prototype. The company launched the Volvo P1800 Cyan in 2020, Cyan Racing’s interpretation of the iconic Volvo sports car from the sixties.
About Lynk & Co
Lynk & Co was created to provide mobility solutions for the connected generation. We do make really, really good cars (the kind that have all the features you want without you having to ask for them), but we also offer a new way of using those cars. Our membership-based approach makes it simple to get on the go. Members can access a car on a flexible, month-to-month basis and share with friends, family, and the Lynk & Co community.