[gwyllion]

Ik ben trouwens benieuwd of Seat dit jaar al iets kan laten zien in ETCC.

Ik denk/hoop dat ze veel vooruitgang geboekt hebben en dus het verschil met Alfa en BMW kunnen verkleinen.

SEAT is happy with the test in Barcelona

With only one week to go before the 2004 FIA ETCC gets underway in Monza, SEAT Sport spent two days (Monday and Tuesday) testing in Barcelona. The three drivers, Jordi Gené, Frank Diefenbacher and newcomer Rickard Rydell, took stints at the wheel of the two Toledo Cupra cars the team was running at the Catalunya circuit.

"It was a very good test, which helped me to learn more on the car. I'm a lot more confident with it now, and the lap times we set were very competitive compared to last year's. They were a big improvement for SEAT," Rydell revealed. " We will shake down our 2004 cars only in Monza on Saturday morning, but I feel SEAT is ready to make a big step forward in the ETCC's hierarchy. I would like to have ten more days of testing before the championship begins, but I feel confident. I'm getting into the team very quickly.

They are so nice, and the atmosphere is absolutely fantastic. I'm sure I will enjoy racing for SEAT." The Spanish Manufacturers has considerably stepped up its programme since it joined the ETCC last year. In Monza it will be represented by four Toledo Cupras, with Gianni Morbidelli's SEAT Sport Italia car alongside the three works cars. So far the Italian had only driven the car for a few laps during the official tests in Monza: "I regret there was no time to test again. We have to look at this first event as an adventure, and try to do our best. However, for the team and myself, the fact of being in Monza is already a success, and we are looking forward to build something on it."