René Münnich and Gianni Morbidelli will compete in RML-built TC1 Chevrolets in the 2014 World Touring Car Championship after the team secured a last-minute deal to run the cars this year.
The German team joined the WTCC for the start of 2013, running a trio of SEAT Leon’s for then regining champion Rob Huff, team manager Marc Basseng and owner Münnich. After a successful season, in which the team scored two wins with Huff, the team announced last year that they were to take a sabbatical from the series due to being unable to secure cars to compete at the front in 2014.
The team’s original plans were to compete in selected races in the TC2 category in 2014 with the existing SEAT Leon machinery.
Münnich explained that the opportunity to run the cars came at the last minute.
“I received a last minute offer to buy them, and could not drop the opportunity,” said Münnich. “We are eager to benefit from the experience we won last year and are very much looking forward to the new season.
“For me it is only the second year in WTCC and circuit racing,” added the team owner-driver. “Last year everything was new to me, not only the tracks, but the art of driving as well. I hope I will be able to handle the Chevrolet quite well. I think top-ten results should be my goal this season.”
The announcement of Italian Morbidelli returning to the series marks the first time the Italian has been seen in the WTCC since 2006 when he raced an Alfa Romeo 156 for N.Technology, securing a best result of second on two occasions in Brazil and Mexico.
Morbidelli has also formerly competed in Formula 1 between 1990 and 1997 and the British Touring Car Championship in 1998 with Volvo. He has more recently been racing in the Italian Superstars series, where he won the title in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2013.
“I am really excited by the idea of rejoining WTCC and working together with René Münnich and his team,” said 46-year-old Morbidelli. “They did a great job last year on their maiden season.”