We meet some of the new faces in the FIA ETRC paddock this season...
At the halfway stage of the 2018 season we get to know some of the new drivers to the FIA European Truck Racing Championship.
This year the FIA ETRC features a bumper entry list of 21 full-season participants. The class of 2018 is the richest in numbers in over a decade, hence there are a few unfamiliar faces on the grid this year.
In part two of our ‘meet the rookies’ focus we introduce Ray Coleman and Luis Recuenco.
From recovery vehicles and stock cars to truck racing
Truck racing is not the first of Coleman’s motorsport involvements.
“Before trucks I did go-karts and a bit of stock car racing,” revealed the man himself, who has also been around trucks for a number of years.
“Our company operates a fleet of over 2000 recovery vehicles.”
Coleman’s two worlds finally collided in 2014 as his passion for motorsport and familiarity with trucks took him to truck racing.
He initially drove a Renault in the British Truck Racing Championship and after spending 2016 away from racing, he came back last year equipped with an MAN previously used by Ryan Smith.
This year he steps up to the FIA ETRC and has so far scored multiple podium finishes in the GRAMMER TRUCK CUP.
“The aim would be top ten, but seeing the quality of trucks and people involved, that would be very, very hard to do so maybe top 12 and top three in the GRAMMER TRUCK CUP,” summed up Coleman, who’s also delighted to be a part of the FIA ETRC.
“There’s really no comparison between the British series and the European.
“The FIA ETRC is brilliantly organised in each and every way. The hospitality and friendliness are great,” he concluded.
Versatile Spaniard welcomes new challenge
Spaniard Luis Recuenco has joined his decorated compatriot and truck racing stalwart Antonio Albacete at Truck Sport Lutz Bernau for 2018.
Despite being new to truck racing, Recuenco is no stranger to competition as he has a diverse background in motorsport, varying from single-seaters to touring cars to cross-country rallying.
“My father was a truck driver and I run a transport company, therefore I appreciate truck drivers very much, and by doing this championship, I have a feeling that I’ve tried everything in motorsport,” said Recuenco.
“I like it, although I’m still learning,” added Recuenco, who’s only outings in a truck prior to his Misano debut were tests at Most and Jarama.
“At the moment I don’t think about results. It’s all about learning. I have one of the best drivers in the championship as a team-mate so at the moment the objective is to learn.”
Despite trying various forms of motorsport, Recuenco finds truck racing a great challenge. “There’s quite a lot of power, so you have to be very smooth on the throttle and also breaking requires ultimate focus as it’s very easy to miss your breaking point.
“You really have to be focused. In that sense it’s like driving a single-seater car with loads of power,” he explained