PIRELLI WORLD CHALLENGE

Pilot of Portugal will pilot a modified Bentley for the 'American GT Championship'

Álvaro Parente starts next weekend in Saint Petersburg another season of the Pirelli World Challenge, a championship he won in 2016, having this year as a weapon to beat for the victories a Bentley Continental GT3 prepared by K-PAX Racing.The Portuguese debuted in what is considered the "North American GT Championship" two years ago, having won the title in his debut, despite knowing only one circuit where he passed the event.In 2017, Alvaro Parente returned to be one of the candidates for the title, having fought for the title until the last race of the season, securing the vice-title of GT.For this season, the Porto driver will have a new set up, a Bentley Continental GT3, a machine quite distinct from the McLaren 650S GT3 that was his weapon for long years. Despite the novelty, Álvaro Parente is not afraid, proving pleased with the adaptation he has been making to the car of the mythical Crewe brand. "The tests went very well and both the team and I adapted very well to the new car. It behaves very differently from what I'm used to, but it has a lot of potential. Obviously we will be stronger in some circuits than in others, but we are confident that we will have a good season, "said the Pirelli World Challenge 2016 Champion.Next weekend, the stage for this year's start of the "GT North America Championship" will be the city circuit of Saint Petersburg, where Álvaro Parente triumphed last year, but the Portuguese warns that the fourteen corners and 2,988 kilometers will not be the most beneficial for the Bentley. "The Continental GT3 is very strong in high curves, characteristic that we hardly find on the track of next weekend. We know we will not be as strong as in other courses, but I really like city circuits and the whole team will do our best to start the season with a good set of results, "said the driver who plays the colors of K-PAX Racing.The program of the Saint Petersburg round begins on Friday with free practice sessions, qualifying and the first race (20h50m, Lisbon time) on Saturday and the second on Sunday (8:15 p.m. of Lisbon).

José Luis abreu, Portugal