Preview: Alfa’s Larini targets more victories

The former Ferrari Formula 1 racer won the opening ETCC race at Monza a fortnight ago after a season-long losing streak for the Nordauto Alfa team.

"I'm optimistic [for Brno] because I think that the gap between Tarquini's Honda Accord and our Alfa Romeo 156 will be greatly reduced," he said. "Monza was the perfect track for the Japanese car, with its very powerful engine. At Brno it will help Tarquini accelerating out of some uphill bends, but in general Honda and Alfa should be equal in performance, particularly as the Alfa Romeo engine specialists have collected a lot of interesting data and now they are working to find more power."

Larini scored one win and a second place at Monza, and his rival Tarquini - who won the second Monza race from the pit lane - acknowledges the threat that his former F1 adversary poses.

"I saw the great driver I knew before," said Tarquini. "The one who was fast, clever and capable of demolishing both his team-mates and rivals."

Over the past three seasons, Larini had been outpaced by team mate Fabrizio Giovanardi and had settled into the role of the number two.

"I had a hard time learning front-wheel drive and how to bring it to the limit," said Larini. "And I had to do it alongside Giovanardi, who is the master of this kind of car. I had to change my driving style and my set-up choices in order to reduce my Achilles heel, which was wearing the front tyres out. Finally I feel that my apprenticeship is over and that this year I can really fight for the title."