Having led the Chevrolet challenge on the World Touring Car Championship last season, Nicola Larini says he feels as motivated as ever going into the opening rounds of the 2008 campaign this weekend in Brazil.
Although he remains the only Chevrolet driver yet to taste victory in the WTCC since the American manufacturer joined the grid, Larini finished fifth in the standings in 2007 on the back of a consistent campaign that yielded sixth visits to the podium.
With regular team-mates Alain Menu and Rob Huff winning six races between them, and guest driver Rickard Rydell also taking victory at Anderstorp, Chevrolet won more races than anyone else last season and Larini admitted that focus for 2008 had to be to improve on that form this year.
“I am happy that the winter break is over, I am really anxious to go racing again!” the Italian enthused. “After the excellent season we had in 2007, our objective can only be to do even better! It won't be easy, but I am confident we can do it.
“Still, this year it is really difficult to make any prediction as there are more variables than usual at this time of the year. We need to see how the diesel cars will perform and what the impact of the changes in the technical rules and in the success ballast system will be. In a way, it is a new adventure that starts, but we can face it in the knowledge of having worked in the right direction during the winter break.
“Curitiba has not always been a favourable track for us in the past, so it would be particularly positive to score a good result this time. Personally, I feel as motivated as ever and I have been working a lot on my physical preparation as well.”
Chevrolet Europe motorsport manager Eric Neve agreed with his driver that the series continues to grow in strength, stating that his team would need to work hard to achieve success in its fourth season with the Lacetti.
![Nicola Larini - Chevrolet Lacetti [Pic creditt: Chevrolet]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/398371.jpg)
