NOVEMBER 26, 2004

Former Ferrari man leads Chevrolet World Touring Car team

Nicola Larini has been signed to join Alain Menu in the Chevrolet team in the FIA World Touring Car Championship campaign next year. The 40 year-old Italian has been a hugely successful touring car driver in recent years with Alfa Romeo but decided to switch to General Motors.

The team will run three Chevrolet Lacettis prepared by UK Ray Mallock Ltd. The company is planning to give the third seat to a young driver but as yet to name the mysterious third man.

Larini was in Formula 1 in the late 1980s with Enzo Coloni, Osella and made a big impression by running third in one of the cars during a rainy Canadian GP in 1989. That led to a deal to drive with Ligier in 1990 and he then moved to the Lamborghini team in 1991 but that was never a success and so Larini became Ferrari test driver. He did two Grands Prix for the team in 1992 and stood in for the injured Jean Alesi in 1994. He finished second at the fateful San Marino GP in 1994, an achievement which was overlooked completely by the other events of the weekend.