CUPRA TCR Test Drive – Video
We’re used to seeing them racing on their motorcycles and taking corners with their knee grazing the asphalt. Whether it’s on two or four wheels, Ducati Corse MotoGP racers and CUPRA ambassadors Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo are motoring enthusiasts and didn’t hesitate in exchanging vehicles for a day. The challenge: take the CUPRA TCR for a drive following the instructions of CUPRA team racer Pepe Oriola and brand ambassador Jordi Gené.
– From handlebars to steering wheel: “You want the same thing whether you’re driving a car or riding a motorcycle – when you’re on the track you want to be the fastest. The difference is that the car makes you feel safer; it gives you more stability”, says Andrea Dovizioso as he walks over to the CUPRA TCR on the track of the Castellolí circuit. Jorge Lorenzo adds: “When riders make the switch to four wheels it doesn’t take us long to gather pace and pick up speed”. With the same enthusiasm, they both put on their helmet and start the engine to check the engine response – in just 5.2 seconds the CUPRA TCR reaches 100 km/h.
– Curves that test their mettle: Both riders agree that although they don’t have to lean their body into the asphalt, they feel the same adrenaline rush. “The CUPRA TCR is extremely powerful, I love how it feels to drive“, declares Andrea as he puts the 2.0 TSI engine’s 350 hp output to the test on the track. “It’s very agile and allows for aggressive cornering”, he points out. “It handles really well in the curves; you can feel how the car responds to your steering. And it has a lot of stable composure under hard braking”, says the three-time MotoGP world champion.
– Always pushing it to the limit: Both Ducati riders praise the benefits of the DSG automatic gearbox. For Dovizioso, “it’s fantastic because it allows you to push yourself to the limit on the track and go faster”. Likewise, Lorenzo also admits that he prefers it to a manual transmission: “It’s a lot more comfortable and you don’t run the risk of shifting to the wrong gear.”
– Change in routine: “It’s an amazing car”, Lorenzo declares after completing his lap around the circuit and getting out of the CUPRA TCR. “I’ve been riding a motorcycle since I was 3 years old, an eternity! For me, trying out a car like this is something new and a lot of fun”, he says about the experience.
– Future racecar driver?: Andrea Dovizioso pulls into the boxes and takes off his helmet with a beaming smile. “I love speed and car racing; it gives me a good feeling. Maybe when my motorcycle racing career is over, some day I might switch over to racecars”, says the Ducati rider with a grin.