Q&A: Rob Huff – EXCLUSIVE.

Tuesday, 16th January 2007

Rob Huff enjoyed a breakthrough second season in the World Touring Car Championship as he bounced back from a huge accident in Mexico to take his maiden win in the next meeting at Brno.

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Rob Huff:
We made big steps forwards. The big step in the first year was the engine waiver that the FIA gave us, they gave us a good boost up the order, but we realised quickly after the first few races in 2005 that it was a massively competitive series and we were up against the best of the best in the sport. We knew we had to raise our game straight away and that showed, thus the podiums came last year. It is one of the most competitive race series in the world I believe and in qualifying you often get the top 15 covered by a second – your rarely get that outside of a one-make championship.

Q:
What changes have been made to the car for 2007?

Rob Huff:
We still aren’t 100 per cent sure on how we will start the season but it will be confirmed after the next test in Valencia next week. There are changes to the suspension and we are modifying the engine all the time as much as possible. Those two differences have given us a big push. With the chassis we have made more modifications but the car will look the same. Although they will see the same Chevrolet out there that they saw for the past two years, it is massively improved and hopefully we will be as quick as we think we will be.

Q:
You’re with Alain and Nicola again so it’s the same three drivers for a third season. How important will that be to the programme?

Rob Huff:
The first port of call for development and design of the car is the drivers and the feedback they give. The more consistent that feedback is then the quicker you will be. We work well together and get on well together and the atmosphere in the team is good. Everyone in the team gets on and that is why they are keeping everyone the same for this year.

Q:
With the first win under the belt you’ll obviously want to add more, so what are the aims for 2007?

Rob Huff:
My personal aim is to try and finish in the top five in the championship. The teams aim is to go out there and win, win, win. This is the third year for Chevrolet and we need to prove why we are out there and that we can compete with the bigger manufacturers like BMW and SEAT. It is one of those things where you want to beat everyone who is out there. The championship is so close to call, obviously Andy has won it for the last two years and for the last year of the European Championship but that is because he has had the best package. He is a driver with that car and has worked well for the last few years and that is why he is champion, we are out there to try and knock him off the top.