Alain Menu wasn't the only Chevrolet driver in the wars as the new World Touring Car Championship season kicked off in Brazil after Nicola Larini and Rob Huff also left Curitiba pointless following two tough races for the RML-run team.
The pair had looked well set going into race day having qualified inside the top eight, even with Huff having seen his best time spoiled when team-mate Menu went off and brought out the red flags.
The opening race saw the two drivers running together but a mechanical problem for Larini saw him inadvertently take out Huff in the early stages, with the Briton initially managing to continue despite contact before his suspension broke.
However, his second race would get even worse when he was hit by the SEAT of Tiago Monteiro and suffered broken suspension for the second time to cap a trying start to his campaign.
“Unfortunately I have had one of the shortest race weekends of my career,” he said. “In race one I was the victim of Nic's gearbox issues, which ultimately led to my retirement with a broken suspension.
“Then in the second race Monteiro got alongside me but ran over the kerbs and got launched onto my rear wheel, so I had to three-wheel to pits again. It's a pity because all three of us had a good car and we could have had a really good start to the season.”
Larini was at least able to console himself with a finish in race two, although twelfth place at the chequered flag wasn't good enough for him to open his account for the year.
“In the first race I had a good start and the car felt really good,” he said. “But then in the braking zone for the final corner I lost the transmission which meant I couldn't slow down fast enough and I hit Rob. It's a shame really because both of us were in a good position to take home some big points.
“In the second race everything went as well as it should have gone in race one, but Zanardi blocked me for a number of laps, allowing Alain to pass us both.”
![Nicola Larini - Chevrolet Lacetti [pic credit: FIA WTCC]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/411957.jpg)
