Gabriel Tarquini obtains Seat’s approval for the Leon TDi

For his home race, Gabriel Tarquini will change his mount as he switches from a SEAT Leon petrol to a Leon TDi. We announced it last week, the Italian wanted this new version, and he got it.

It will be the third TDi car entered alongside those of Yvan Muller and Jordi Gene. The SEAT Leon TDi started in the FIA WTCC just a month ago at Anderstorp and four weeks later at Oschersleben where it secured the first victory for a diesel in the world championship. Tarquini recently conducted 100 km of tests on the Catalunya circuit and will return to Spain before the Monza race.

« Monza is my home circuit and I am very happy to drive the Leon TDi. I think it will be better for us on the straight. »

« My family and friends will be present in Monza and I am really focused on this race. I am 30 points behind the leader in the championship and with only 40 points up for grabs, I am probably too far back. So I will try to help SEAT win the constructors’ championship and Yvan Muller in the drivers’ championship, the Italian explained last week.

The TDi shows much better results than gasoline. This is why most Seat drivers wanted this version, but the Spanish executives wanted to favor the driver from the country where this penultimate event of the 2007 championship will take place.