« Having been involved in motorsport for three decades, I didn’t think that there would me many more new things for me to discover, but this is a new challenge I am really looking forward to! » Dutch driver Tom Coronel leaves no doubt about his enthusiasm for his upcoming debut in the TitansRX series, a new rallycross format initiated by Austrian Max Pucher.
Coronel will be driving one of the series’ spec MJP Racing Pantera RX6 cars in his trademark yellow-and-red livery with DHL, Tricorp, Eurol, TW Steel and ERU Prestige sponsorship in the upcoming TitansRX round in Montalegre, Portugal (10-11 August). After that, he will also participate in the event at Niriad in Hungary (5-6 October) and the Grand Final at Germany’s coveted Estering circuit in Buxtehude (19-20 October).
With full campaigns in the FIA WTCR with a CUPRA TCR and the TCR Europe series with a Honda Civic TCR, combined with selected endurance events such as the Nürburgring 24 Hours with a Nissan GT-R NISMO in June, Tom Coronel can’t complain about a lack of activities. With his participation in the TitansRX series, he now adds another three events to his already packed schedule. « As a racing driver, I simply like to race every weekend, » he says. « Currently, there is a bit of a break in the FIA WTCR schedule, so my TitansRX debut at Montalegre fits in perfectly, and on the two weekends in October, I didn’t have any other commitments either, so it seemed like a great opportunity! »
Launched earlier this year, the TitansRX series has been set up as a cost-effective rallycross series, true to the initial philosophy of the sport. Drivers include WRC stalwarts like Craig Breen and Hayden Paddon, BTCC champion Andrew Jordan, ex-F1 driver Nelson Piquet jr and WRX aces Kevin and Timmy Hansen and Toomas Heikinen. TitansRX founder and CEO Max Pucher is excited to have Tom Coronel on board as well. « Tom Coronel is another racing icon who will bring his broad experience to TitansRX, » the Austrian says. « He has done it all and can adjust to any car in the shortest of times. His knowledge of how to race in a dense field of fast drivers should allow him to stand his ground. »
Tom Coronel is relishing the opportunity: « I have done circuit races in almost all categories, I have done rallies, such as the gruelling Dakar Rally, but this is a combination of the two disciplines that is entirely new to me. That is something very exciting. The heats are short, so you have to be on the pace straight away and there is action throughout the field. It looks cool and fun and I can’t wait to get into the car! »
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