by Glenn Patterson

Last updated at 16:43, Friday, 20 July 2012

Alex MacDowall is back in action this weekend in what will be his first long-distance fly-away event of his motorsport career when the FIA World Touring Car Championship makes its annual visit to Curitiba in Brazil.

Alex MacDowall

With six weeks having already passed since the last WTCC event at Portimao in southern Portugal, the 21-year-old from Tarraby near Carlisle, can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of his turbo-powered Chevrolet Cruze and try to add to the superb Independents Trophy victory he secured in Austria back in May.

With a total of four class podiums to his credit in his first season in the world championship, MacDowall has certainly proven his pace and ability thus far.

However, fifth position in the Independents standings isn’t a fair reflection of his overall performance due to some unfortunate retirements along the way.

Curitiba is likely to be a circuit which plays to the strengths of the Cumbrian’s Bamboo Engineering-run car, not dissimilar to the Salzburgring in Austria where he starred in both qualifying and race trim. So he’s heading into rounds 15 and 16 of the WTCC season with his sights set high.

“I’d like to try and get another Independent win this weekend but my main aim in Brazil is to try and finish on the outright podium,” said MacDowall. “With a good reverse grid slot for race two I think we could translate that into a top three finish overall.

“Obviously it’ll be tough, we’ll have to wait and see how it goes, and it is another brand new track for me.

“I’ve done a few hours on the simulator though and I’ve got another session to try and prepare as well as possible. I think the track should suit us, the Chevy should be strong there.”

While the WTCC cars have already arrived in South America following a lengthy 13-day journey by sea across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe, MacDowall will be travelling out to Brazil with flights taking in four different airports.

“It’s going to be about a 17 hour journey over there – we’ve got to fly from Newcastle to Heathrow, then from Heathrow to Rio and then Rio to Curitiba,” he added. “Thankfully we’ve got a night flight so hopefully it shouldn’t be too bad but it’s definitely the longest journey to a race I’ll have ever had!”

His first experience of Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba will start today ahead of two further practice runs on Saturday and the race itself on Sunday.

Also in action this weekend is Cockermouth rally driver Richard Barnard as he tackles the Pokerstars Rally on some of the Isle of Man’s most notorious roads.

The Manx stages are a mix of fast, high-speed roads with narrow, bumpy lanes and provide one of the toughest sealed surfaces challenges in the UK. Barnard feels he is well prepared for the event, however, and is hoping to benefit from his Manx co-driver Seb Turner’s local knowledge.

He’s also received some expert rally driving tuition from three-time British Rally Champion Mark Higgins at a Tarmac test facility in Wales and will be aiming for a top-10 result with a sense of confidence after setting some good times on his last visit to the island.

“Getting tuition and guidance from Mark, a triple national champion, can only help my driving skills and ability,” said 24-year-old Barnard.

“In a sport where every second counts if I can shave some time off my stage times it can only be for the good.”

A week later Barnard will tackle the Harry Flatters Rally run over the equally difficult Epynt military ranges in mid-Wales.

All this experience will stand him in good stead as he aims to tackle next year’s MSA British National Asphalt Rally Championship.

Back on the track and Paul Bird’s racing team is also out this weekend at round seven of the 2012 British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch. F

ollowing on from a successful visit to Oulton Park which saw him claim three podium finishes last time out, Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne returns to his local track hoping to clinch his first double win of the season.

“I just love the GP track at Brands Hatch, not only because it is my home track and I’ve had lots of success round there, it’s just brilliant to ride,” said Byrne.

“We struggled a bit at Oulton Park so we have made improvements for this weekend and I’m looking forward to a pair of good races. I’ve upped my game too and have been training really hard so we should be in good shape all round.”

Team manager Bird from Penrith is hoping Byrne will lead the way for his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki team.

“If anyone goes well at Brands Hatch, it’s Shakey and over the years we have had some good results together so hopefully this weekend will be another memorable one,” commented Bird.

“We need to up our game as one or two of the other teams have managed to steal a march on us in recent rounds so we need to start putting that right and a pair of wins would do nicely.”

First published at 15:40, Friday, 20 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk