Larini targets wins with Chevy

The Italian, who has targeted race wins for the new RML designed and run Lacetti in the World Touring Car Championship, admitted at the Autosport International Racing Car Show that he is raring to go after sitting out the 2004 season, having parted company with Alfa Romeo at the end of 2003.

"I drove for Alfa for many years and they have one of the best histories in touring car racing and I believe that Chevrolet can do the same," he said. "Chevrolet is a big brand in the States and they want to raise their presence in Europe to a high level. But equally they want to have success in the WTCC. We are not here just to compete, we are here to win.

"We have a big programme. We have three years and we want to get experience. Me and my team-mate Alain [Menu] know about saloon cars and what it means to drive front wheel drive. Our target is to score points and try to win races by the end of the season. But we know it will not be easy with Alfa Romeo, BMW and SEAT already so competitive. I think by the end of the year we can have a lot of points."

The new Lacetti has already been shaken down by the team's third driver Rob Huff, but Larini will join RML in testing the car for the first time at the MIRA proving ground on January 21.

"I don't know the team very well yet and I only concluded the deal at the beginning of last December. But RML has an excellent record, they have a big history in the BTCC like my team-mate Alain and I think we will bring together a great package.

"Everything is new. Everything must be developed from the beginning. We have to work very hard together to have a great and competitive car. There is not much time for before the season to get up on the same level as Alfa Romeo and the others.

"But the drivers and the team have enough experience to help make things happen as quickly as possible. It won't be easy though, because we have no experience of this car and we don't know anything about its characteristics. The important thing is to make sure the car is fast and has the pace of the others. Then if we have technical issues initially that doesn't matter so much, so long as we are fast.