Tom Coronel facts for kids
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Tom Romeo Coronel (born on April 5, 1972) is a professional racing driver from the Netherlands. His twin brother, Tim Coronel, is also a racer, just like their father, Tom Coronel Sr. Tom is known for winning the Marlboro Masters of Formula 3 race in 1997. He also won the Formula Nippon championship in 1999. Later, he earned the World Touring Car Championship Independents' Trophy in both 2006 and 2009. By September 2016, Tom Coronel had competed in over 1,000 races.
He still races in the WTCC. He achieved his first WTCC victory in Okayama, Japan, in 2008. After many years as an independent driver with SEAT, Tom switched to BMW in 2011. In 2014, he continued with ROAL Motorsport, but the team started using Chevrolet Cruze cars. These cars were specially built by RML for new racing rules. Even without official factory support, Tom is considered a top driver because of his experience and past successes.
Tom has also raced for the Dutch Spyker Squadron in the Le Mans Series and the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race for many years. He is often invited to join special one-off races, like the 24 hours at the Nürburgring track.
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Tom Coronel's Racing Journey
Starting in Racing
Tom Coronel was born in Naarden, Netherlands. He began his racing career in 1990 in the Dutch Citroën AX Cup. He was chosen for this after being recognized as the most talented driver at a local racing school. After a year of learning, he became very successful in 1991. He won four races and the championship title. He also won an international Citroën AX race in Barcelona.
In 1992, he moved up to the Dutch Touring Car Championship, driving a BMW 320i. He won that championship, even beating his older brother and teammate, Raymond Coronel. He also started racing in the Dutch Formula Ford championship with team Fresh. By the end of 1992, he decided to focus on single-seater racing cars.
He continued with team Fresh in 1993 and was a strong competitor again. He won three races and took home the Dutch Formula Ford championship. He also finished second in the Benelux championship. Tom also raced in a few German Formula Ford races, where he earned several podium finishes.
Racing in Europe
In 1994, Coronel started racing in the Euroseries Formula Opel Lotus with the Dutch Van Amersfoort Racing team. He was very successful, getting eight pole positions and two victories. However, he lost the championship to Marco Campos. He helped the Netherlands win the Nations Cup with Donny Crevels. Because of his achievements, he was named 'Dutch Driver of the Year'. This award helped him get the money he needed to race in the German Formula Three championship the next year.
In 1995, he raced for the WTS team, which had worked with famous drivers like Michael Schumacher and Jos Verstappen. He was teammates with Ralf Schumacher. They used a Dallara car with Opel engines. Tom finished seventh in the championship. He didn't do as well in big international Formula Three races, but he finished fifth in the Marlboro Masters at Zandvoort.
Adventures in Japan
Tom Coronel decided to try racing far from home. In 1996, he joined team TOM'S to compete in the Japanese Formula 3 championship. He won his first race at the Sugo circuit. With this win and five second-place finishes, he ended up third in the championship that year. He also finished second at the Monaco Formula Three race with the Italian Prema Power team.
He stayed with TOM'S for the 1997 season. The team switched to a better Dallara car with Toyota engines. Coronel was amazing that year, winning six out of the seven races he entered. He had such a big lead that he could even miss two races to compete in the Macau Grand Prix and Marlboro Masters. Earlier in the year, he was leading the Monaco Formula Three race but had to stop. However, he won for his home crowd in Zandvoort, becoming the second Dutch driver to win that event after Jos Verstappen.
Formula Nippon Success
After his success in Japanese Formula 3, Coronel moved up to the next level. In 1998, he raced in both the Formula Nippon and Japanese GT championships for team Nakajima. This team was owned by former Formula One driver Satoru Nakajima.
His first Formula Nippon season was a learning experience. He had some bad luck, and the team was new to working with a non-Japanese driver. However, he did much better in the GT championship. Sharing a Honda NSX car with Japanese driver Koji Yamanishi, they were close to winning the title until the very last race. They finished second after their car broke down before the final race.
In 1999, Tom Coronel continued with the same teams. In Formula Nippon, he became a strong contender for the championship. At first, his main rival, Satoshi Motoyama, had a lead. But Tom fought back and won his first race at Fuji Speedway. He went into the last race at Suzuka with a four-point lead over Motoyama. In a dramatic start, Coronel and Motoyama crashed into each other in the first corner. Since no one else was close to the title, Tom Coronel became the champion, though it was a bit controversial. He wasn't as successful in the Japanese GT that year. Tom also made his first appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Jan Lammers' Racing for Holland team.
World Touring Car Championship Highlights
In 2005, the European Touring Car Championship became a World Championship. Tom Coronel changed teams, joining Team GR Asia, which used the SEAT Toledo. He had a strong year and almost won the Independents' Trophy in the final race. His luck improved in 2006. With the new SEAT León car, he won the Independents' Trophy, his second in three seasons. He continued with team GR Asia in 2007, but with less success.
In 2008, Coronel raced for the new SUNRED SEAT Team. He earned a podium finish in Oschersleben and became one of the most popular WTCC drivers. In the second race at the Race of Japan, held at the Okayama International Circuit, he drove incredibly well and won his first WTCC race.
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In 2009, he was again eligible for the Independents' Trophy, which he won for Sunred. In 2010, he drove a turbo diesel León for the new semi-works SR-Sport team. Tom finished the season in 8th place, which was his highest overall finish at that time.
In 2011, Tom moved to ROAL Motorsport. He won the second race at Suzuka, Japan, which was his second overall WTCC victory. Coronel stayed with ROAL Motorsport for 2012, racing alongside Alberto Cerqui. He continued to compete in the WTCC until it became the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) in 2018. He has continued to race in the WTCR and TCR Europe series, winning the 2023 TCR Europe Touring Car Series.
Dakar Rally Adventures
Tom and his twin brother Tim took part in the 2009 edition of the Dakar Rally. This challenging race took place in Argentina and Chile. It was Tom's first time competing in the Dakar Rally, while Tim had raced before. The brothers drove a Bowler Nemesis car. They finished in 70th place overall after driving over 6,000 kilometers across two countries in 15 stages.
Other Interests
The Coronel family owns two indoor go-karting tracks in Huizen and Enschede, Netherlands. Tom also co-hosts a car show with his brother Tim. He used to be a regular guest on Dutch Formula One TV broadcasts.
Tom Coronel is in a relationship with fellow racing driver Paulien Zwart. They have a daughter and a son named Rocco. Paulien is the daughter of Ascari Cars owner Klaas Zwart. Rocco Coronel is also following in his family's footsteps and is a racing driver in karting and the Ginetta Junior Championship. He is also part of the Red Bull Junior Team.
Images for kids
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Coronel at the 2011 FIA WTCC Race of Japan.
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Coronel driving the SEAT León TFSI in the second race at the 2008 WTCC Race of Japan in Okayama.
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Coronel competing in the 2014 World Touring Car Championship.
See also
In Spanish: Tom Coronel para niños
