No more being Rambo for WTCC star Coronel

Tom Coronel will focus on his FIA World Touring Car Championship ambitions for the remainder of 2015 after conceding that his days of being Rambo are over.

Dutchman Coronel completed the 9,111-kilometre Dakar Rally route alone last month and likened his heroics to the fictional film character John Rambo, who is skilled in many aspects of survival.

“The Dakar was just a side project because my brother had a team but I will never do it alone [again],” said Coronel, who will pilot a ROAL Motorsport Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1 in the 2015 WTCC. “Being alone for 15 days for a person like me, who likes people around me, it was difficult. I was MacGyver, Rambo, mechanic and driver all at the same time and now I’ve been there and done that.”

Coronel made his WTCC debut in 2005 and has started 222 races to date. “I feel comfortable in this championship,” said the 42-year-old. “I know the WTCC family, I know the cars, the drivers and the publicity is really strong for my sponsors, particularly the TV coverage.”