WTCC: Lada to start season with two cars

Lada will start the 2015 World Touring Car Championship season with just two of its new Vestas for 2012 champion Rob Huff and two-time British Touring Car champion James Thompson.

Mikhail Kozlovskiy, the third team's driver, will miss next weekend's Termas de Rio Hondo opener and make his debut in the new car at the second round in Marrakech in April.

"The time was limited and we were unable to finish the third car, but at the second race of the season in Marrakech, it will be ready," team principal Victor Shapovalov told AUTOSPORT. "We're building four cars, three for racing and one for testing. I think that in a week or two it will be completed. We are going to improve the new Vesta throughout the year."

The Vesta underwent a successful shakedown test at Magny-Cours earlier this month.

"After the new Vesta's debut at Magny-Cours, the drivers appreciated the potential of the new car," said Shapovalov. "The Vesta is definitely better and faster than the Granta. I think that in two or three races after starting the season we can fight for the podium."

Lada is the only team building a completely new car for the 2015 WTCC. Due to the recent changes in series rules, it is the third year in a row that the team has built a new machine.

Originally on Autosport.com