WTCR’s Coronel looks to Dakar start number 11 after painful withdrawal
Tom Coronel is already looking ahead to next year’s Dakar after he and twin brother Tim were forced to withdraw from the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship season opener in Saudi Arabia prior to the start of stage eight.
The Dutch siblings were 16th in the general classification prior to Saturday’s rest day. However, a back injury sustained by Tim Coronel earlier in the event proved too serious for them to continue into the second week.
Speaking from the bivouac in Al Dawadimi, Tom Coronel, a race winner in the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup for Comtoyou DHL Team Audi Sport, said: “Health comes first. He can barely walk. He’s done the Dakar 15 times now, I’ve done 10 times. There will be another one next year.”