Rob Huff feels race victories are on the cards this year after he gave the definitive 2007-spec Chevrolet Lacetti WTC its first competitive outing in Zandvoort in Holland yesterday.

The new car was fast all weekend around the twisty 2.67 mile Dutch circuit, which hosted the first European rounds of the FIA World Touring Car Championship. The Chevrolet WTCC team dominated Saturday's qualifying session, with Rob's team-mates Alain Menu and Nicola Larini setting the top two times. Having been the team's top driver at the previous race meeting in Brazil, Rob's race car was 15kgs heavier than his racing colleagues, as it was obliged to carry success ballast. Any extra weight was a real handicap around a circuit with so much heavy braking and low-gear acceleration out of tight corners, yet the 27-year old driver from Cambridgeshire did exceptionally well to qualify ninth, less than one second off Menu's time.

"I had a good lap on my last run, but it felt quicker than it really was," said Rob. "Compared to Alain and Nic my car understeered a bit, and I have of course fifteen kilos of success ballast from Brazil to carry around, but the engineers and I will have good look at the data tonight and see what we might have to change for tomorrow. Mind you, if one of the others wins and I can finish in eighth in the first race I'll still be very happy."

Eighth place in the first race on Sunday would give Rob pole position for the second and final race (as the top eight from Race 1 start Race 2 in reverse order) – and Rob's prediction was coming true until, eight laps into the 13 lap race, his steering broke as a result of an earlier collision at the start and another big knock three corners preceding his retirement. While Menu and Larini raced on to give Chevrolet its first ever 1-2 race win, Rob ended Race 1 in the crash barriers, meaning he would start Race 2 from the back of the grid, rather than the front. Always up for a challenge, Rob drove brilliantly in Race 2 to move through the field and finish 13th.

"At the start of the first race I got hit by another car, damaging the steering. I had some play on the steering but managed to drive around it. I had moved up to eighth which was the best possible position to be in for race two when the steering broke and sent me into the barriers. But the guys did a superb job in making the car as good as new for the second race, so I could really enjoy that without any pressure or worries. I had a good fight with Yvan Muller, but despite being a bit quicker it's difficult to overtake at Zandvoort. Of course I didn't score any points, but with the way the car has been performing so far this year I'm sure my day will come sooner rather than later."

With the new Lacetti WTC winning first time out and Rob on the pace at Zandvoort despite the extra weight, he is confidently looking forward to the rest of the season. He may have not scored any WTCC points at Zandvoort, but Rob will now go to Valencia in Spain – a circuit he has always performed well at – in two weeks time (19-20 May) with no extra weight and his eyes firmly set on race victory.

Zandvoort Race 1 Results

1.	A Menu	Chevrolet Lacetti	13 laps in 25m12s863 (Ave: 82.78mph)
2.	N Larini	Chevrolet Lacetti	+ 0s651
3.	L Rangoni	BMW 320si	+ 0s987
4.	T Monteiro	SEAT Leon	+ 2s358
5.	A Farfus	BMW 320si	+ 3s005
DNF	R Huff	Chevrolet Lacetti	7 laps (accident damage)

Zandvoort Race 2 Results

1.	G Tarquini	SEAT Leon	12 laps in 22m06s110 (Ave: 140.30kph)
2.	A Farfus	BMW 320si	+ 0s449
3.	J Müller	BMW 320si	+ 0s674
4.	N Larini	Chevrolet Lacetti	+ 0s978
5.	A Priaulx	BMW 320si	+ 1s714
13.	R Huff	Chevrolet Lacetti	+ 11s329
DNF	A Menu	Chevrolet Lacetti	3 laps (oil pressure)

Drivers' Points Standings After Race 4 Of 22
1. A Farfus (BMW), 28pts; 2. J Müller (BMW), 22; 3. G Tarquini (SEAT) 21; 4. A Priaulx (BMW) 21; 5. N Larini (Chevrolet) 13;... 7. A Menu (Chevrolet) 10; ... 12. R Huff (Chevrolet) 4;...

Manufacturers' Standings After Race 4 Of 22
1. BMW, 60pts; 2. SEAT, 43; 3. Chevrolet, 35; 4. Alfa Romeo, 11