Tom Coronel in profile. Who is he?

Tom Romeo Coronel inherited his passion for motorsport from his father, who used to be a racing driver. His brother Tim Alfa Coronel is also active in motor racing. Tom’s partner is lady racing driver Paulien Zwart with whom he has two children, a son and a daughter.

2015 marks the first year of the comprehensive partnership between DHL and Coronel and explains why his racing car has a yellow DHL paint finish this season. His racing overalls and helmet are still mainly yellow too. “The colour yellow is very important for me in 2015,” said Tom. He tells us how he came up with the idea for the brilliant finish on his WTCC racing car in his exclusive blog here on DHL InMotion.

The Dutchman’s career first began at the age of 18 in the Citroen AX Cup which he won in only his second season. In his third season, he then switched to the Dutch Touring Car Championship which he won in his debut year.

While racing touring cars in 1992, Coronel also took part in Formula Ford, deciding to focus primarily on open wheel racing, where he achieved some success, including a Formula Ford title. During his time racing single-seater cars, he also competed in Japan where he discovered his passion for the Land of the Rising Sun.

He made his Le Mans debut in 1999, partnering Jan Lammers and Peter Kox, but failed to finish because of a blown engine. His best Le Mans result to date is a P8 in 2002.

He had a Formula 1 test drive with the Arrows after his first appearance at Le Mans, but the dream of moving up into F1 did not become a reality. Coronel returned to touring car racing in 2001, contesting first the Dutch Touring Car Championship, then the European Touring Car Championship and the WTCC in 2005.

The 42-year-old drove a Seat Leon for his first six years in the World Touring Car Championship, winning his first race in 2008. A year later, he achieved six victories in the Independents Trophy, which took him to a championship title win. The Dutch racing driver was even more successful in the BMW. He finished first in three races in three years.

He had to switch cars with the introduction of the TC1 class in 2014, as the rear-wheel drive BMW was no longer eligible. Coronel has driven the Chevrolet Cruze RML TC1 ever since. In the ten years that he has been in the FIA WTCC, his best result so far is a fourth place in the drivers’ championship in 2011.

Tom faced a fresh challenge in 2009 after his brother talked him into agreeing to participate in the Dakar Rally. They finished 70th overall in their Bowler. The brothers took part again in 2015, but this time, they were both in single-seat buggies. Tom just loves a challenge.