The Repsol rider competes for the first time in the Aragon race of the Endurance Spanish Championship at the wheel of a car powered by AutoGas
The ten times Trial World Champion, Toni Bou, changed for one day to four wheels. The Repsol rider wanted to celebrate his excellent season, two World Championships —Indoor and Outdoor— and two Spanish Championships —also in both categories—, with a change of discipline. At the wheel of a Fiath 500 Abath powered by AutoGas, Bou participated in the round of the Endurance Spanish Championship held today at Motorland Aragón Circuit.
The Alcañiz 500km is considered one of the toughest races of the Spanish motorsport due to its length and the temperatures the drivers usually suffer. Despite the difficulties and that it was the first time that a car powered by AutoGas took part in an endurance race in Spain, Bou and his team were able to finish the race after competing during four hours and completing 84 laps in the Aragon track.
Repsol made his debut in this round with the first racing car transformed in Spain to compete with AutoGas. Toni Bou, Jaime Hernández and Dani Solà drove a Fiat 500 Abarth with a power of hp prepared by Difisa, the most important dealer in Catalunya of the Italian carmaker and Official Abarth constructor in Spain.
AutoGas, a blend of butane and propane, is an alternative fuel with many environmental and financial advantages compared with traditional fuels. Repsol consolidated its use in Spain by supplying thousandths of users through more than 70 supplying points in service station and more than 200 AutoGas facilities.
Cars powered by AutoGas are bifuel, as they use both AutoGas and gasoline. The image of the vehicle and its truck are exactly the same as its gasoline counterparts.
With AutoGas, the driver achieves a reduction of around 20% in fuel consumption. Furthermore, the car have a higher range, and the maintenance costs are reduced, they respect the environment and reduce the noise.
Repsol signed agreements with different town halls and companies to promote the implementation of AutoGas in Spain. In Europe there are 8 million vehicles powered by this alternative fuel. The company started an ambitious expansion plan for the supplying points of this fuel, opening around 100 points a year from 2012.
For instance, in the autonomous community where this endurance race takes place, Repsol inaugurated recently the first AutoGas Service Station in Huesca, which has been added to the other two already operative in Zaragoza. The company plans to open 6 new supply points of this fuel in the three Aragon provinces in 2012. Nowadays in Aragon there are around a hundred vehicles with AutoGas, property both of companies, individuals and public administrations. By the end of 2012 30 new points of AutoGas supply will be opened in Catalunya.
In this race there were also some famous faces that are not usually seen in the four-wheel world. One of them was the director of Marc Marquez’s Moto2 Team, Emilio Alzamora, who participated with one of the Monlau Competición cars also with Repsol’s support.
Toni Bou
“Being the first experience with AutoGas my assessment is very good, because we were able to finish the race. This is the most important thing and it was our main objective. We learnt many new things that can be helpful to improve in the future. I had a lot of fun. I also gathered a lot of experience in many aspects.For instance, I was the first driver of the team to go out on track. I also learnt new references and lines in a circuit I did not now before. I have to thank Repsol because it was a very positive day for me, apart from having a lot of fun, I learnt a lot”.
Jaime Hernández
“This year I had some more races and I have a bit of experience, but this was a very interesting project, because this is a car completely different to what I usually drive.In the end we had the typical teething problems, but I think the conclusion is very positive. We finished the race and I think that when we analyze all the information gathered, we will reach very interesting conclusions”.
Dani Solà
“It was a very positive experience. I came back to competition in a space which is not the usual for me. To be able to be in the same team with Toni Bou and Jaime Hernández was fantastic.I am happy and amazed by the performance of AutoGas. I think this race will serve to see the possibilities of this new fuel and we can be optimists about its future”.
