*Youngest #WTCR2019SUPERGRID member gets Alfa Romeo Giulietta for 2019 *Ceccon optimistic of success but braced for tough opposition in WTCR / OSCARO *Tarquini: “Kevin Ceccon is one of the big talents of Italy”
Team Mulsanne will continue to back young talent in the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup presented by OSCARO by announcing it has re-signed Kevin Ceccon for the upcoming season.
Ceccon, 25, made an instant impact on his WTCR / OSCARO debut with a points finish at WTCR Race of Slovakia last July. And he underlined his huge promise with a breakthrough victory at Suzuka in October having also secured his maiden DHL Pole Position in impressive fashion at the Japanese venue.
François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCR / OSCARO promoter, said: “We are very pleased Team Mulsanne is continuing to invest in such a promising young driver as Kevin Ceccon. His performances last season, with no previous touring car experience, were sensational and it’s no surprise that Gabriele Tarquini, last year’s title winner, rates him so highly.”
Tarquini’s comments came after he was beaten on-track by Ceccon at WTCR JVCKENWOOD Race of Japan. At the time, the Hyundai-powered star said: “I know him since five years ago and at one point I push him to try touring cars. He’s one of the big talents of Italy – he was a good single-seater driver but he’s very good also in touring cars.”
As well as impressing Tarquini with his pace, Ceccon was voted by a panel of international journalists as their WTCR Rookie of the Year for 2018. He hopes to receive further recognition in 2019 when he continues at the wheel of a Romeo Ferraris-developed Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR.
“I was hoping to get a full-year commitment for 2019 after the good results last year, but in life you never know what can happen,” said Bergamo-based Ceccon. “I need to say that Michela [Cerruti] and the whole Romeo Ferraris staff have been outright clear with me, expressing the will to continue working together, and that has been reassuring. When I look back at 2018 and what we achieved, I feel that we can be among the frontrunners this year, although we should not underestimate the competition. I can’t wait to start hitting the track again.”
Michela Cerruti, Romeo Ferraris Operations Manager?, added: “We are very happy to continue our relationship with Kevin. He arrived in the team last year at a very difficult moment, but together we have conquered results that many would not expect. Our plan is to pursue with a driver that successfully took up the challenge, and has been able to motivate everybody in the team. I am confident that the growing experience of Kevin, together with the car developments that we have elaborated during the winter, will allow us to be competitive from the very start of the new season.”
