Aleksey Dudukalo

This name uses Eastern Slavic naming customs; the patronymic is Nikolayevvich and the family name is Dudukalo.
Aleksey Dudukalo
Nationality Russian
Born 6 October 1976
Moscow (Soviet Union)
Car no. 11
Starts 55
Wins 0
Poles 6
Fastest laps 0
Previous series
201113
2012
200910
2007–09
2004–06
2000, 2004
1999, 2001–03
2002
2000
2000
1995–1998
WTCC
Russian Ice Racing Championship
SEAT León Eurocup
RTCC
Russian Honda Civic Cup
Russian Formula 1600
Supertourism
Formula RUS
Russian Formula 3
Formula Renault 2.0 Italia
Russian Autocross
Championship titles
2012
2008–09
2004–06
2003
Russian Ice Racing Championship
RTCC – Touring-Light
Russian Honda Civic Cup
Supertourism

Aleksey Nikolayevich Dudukalo (Russian: Алексе́й Никола́евич Дудука́ло; IPA: [ɐlʲɪˈksej nʲɪkɐˈlaɪvʲɪtɕ dʊdʊˈkalə], 6 October 1976 in Moscow) is a Russian auto racing driver. He raced in the World Touring Car Championship between 2011 and 2013.

Career

Early years

Dudukalo driving Touring-Light Ford Fiesta at Moscow City Racing 2008 show

Dudukalo started his racing career in 1995 in autocross racing.[1] Five years later he switched to single–seaters. Dudukalo competed in Russian Formula 1600, where he was third in 2004 (his best result in open wheel series). He has very successful in the Supertourism/Tourism 1600 (champion in 2003) and the Russian Honda Civic Cup/Super Light Cup (champion in 2004–06), as well as the Touring-Light class of the Russian Touring Car Championship (champion in 2008 and 2009). In 2009 he finished 20th in the SEAT León Eurocup for Rangoni Motorsport. He also competed in the SEAT León Supercopa with the same team. For 2010 Dudukalo switched to Sunred Engineering. He improved to seventh position in standings with a win at Brno.[2]

World Touring Car Championship

Lukoil-SUNRED (2011)

In 2011 Dudukalo moved up to the World Touring Car Championship, continuing his collaboration with SUNRED where he was joined by Gabriele Tarquini.[3] He only scored points twice and finished the season 21st in the drivers' standings.

Lukoil Racing Team (2012)

Dudukalo was retained alongside Tarquini for 2012 with the team now run by Lukoil Racing.[4] He had qualified eighth for the Race of Spain when his SEAT León WTCC caught fire in parc ferme. He qualified a career best second for the Race of Slovakia and finished in that position in race one behind his team mate to complete a Lukoil Racing Team 1–2, Dudukalo was also the Yokohama Independents' Trophy winner. However race two saw Dudukalo issued with a drive through penalty as all four of his wheels were not on the ground when the five minute board was shown on the grid. He started on pole position for race two of the Race of Austria but was overtaken at the start by the BMWs of Tom Coronel and Stefano D'Aste. Dudukalo was one of a few drivers who had to pit during the race for fresh tyres due to punctures. He clashed with former SEAT León Eurocup rival Gábor Wéber at the Race of Portugal and went into a gravel trap but both drivers were able to return to the pits. He then clashed with ROAL Motorsport's Alberto Cerqui in race two of the Race of Brazil which caused Cerqui to crash into the pit wall. At the Race of the United States, having made it through to Q2 he beached his car near the end of the first session and brought the red flags out. He was then caught in a pileup at the start of race one which forced him to retire. A clash with Mehdi Bennani in the first race of the Race of Japan earned Dudukalo a 30–second post race penalty.[5] He was classified fifteenth in the drivers' championship although still some way off his team mate.

Lukoil Lada Sport (2013)

Dudukalo will race alongside James Thompson at Lukoil Lada Sport in 2013.[6] During qualifying for the Race of Italy Dudukalo missed the braking point for the first chicane and collided with his team–mate.[7] Dudukalo was given a five–place grid drop for race one following the collision with Thompson.[8] Lada later withdrew both of their cars prior to the races as neither could be repaired in time to participate.[9] The incident put Dudukalo's seat in doubt with the team considering bringing in a replacement driver.[10] Prior to the Race of Morocco he was replaced at the team by Mikhail Kozlovskiy.[11]

Racing record

Complete World Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 DC Points
2011 Lukoil-SUNRED SEAT León 2.0 TDI BRA
1

17
BRA
2

12
BEL
1

12
BEL
2

9
ITA
1

Ret
ITA
2

Ret
HUN
1

16
HUN
2

12
CZE
1

14
CZE
2

13
POR
1

Ret
POR
2

13
21st 4
SUNRED SR León 1.6T GBR
1

15
GBR
2

14
GER
1

9
GER
2

15
ESP
1

13
ESP
2

Ret
JPN
1

17
JPN
2

12
CHN
1

15
CHN
2

17
MAC
1

Ret
MAC
2

DNS
2012 Lukoil Racing Team SEAT León WTCC ITA
1

18
ITA
2

DNS
ESP
1

NC
ESP
2

12
MAR
1

16
MAR
2

11
SVK
1

2
SVK
2

15
HUN
1

14
HUN
2

16
AUT
1

19
AUT
2

14
POR
1

Ret
POR
2

16
BRA
1

11
BRA
2

10
USA
1

Ret
USA
2

18
JPN
1

18
JPN
2

8
CHN
1

NC
CHN
2

11
MAC
1

11
MAC
2

7
15th 33
2013 Lukoil Lada Sport Lada Granta ITA
1

DNS
ITA
2

DNS
MAR
1
MAR
2
SVK
1
SVK
2
HUN
1
HUN
2
AUT
1
AUT
2
RUS
1
RUS
2
POR
1
POR
2
ARG
1
ARG
2
USA
1
USA
2
JPN
1
JPN
2
CHN
1
CHN
2
MAC
1
MAC
2
NC 0

References

  1. Алексей Дудукало (in Russian). Lukoil. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  2. "Weber and Dudukalo win the races in Brno". SEAT León Eurocup (SEAT Sport). 3 August 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  3. Meissner, Johan (2 February 2011). "Dudukalo and Tarquini at SUNRED with Lukoil". TouringCarTimes. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  4. "Gabriele Tarquini sticks with SEAT for 2012 World Touring Car Championship". Autosport (Haymarket Publications). 18 January 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  5. Mills, Peter (21 October 2012). "Suzuka WTCC: Aleksei Dudukalo penalised for race one crash". Autosport (Haymarket Publications). Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  6. Hudson, Neil (3 June 2012). "James Thompson takes 11th on Lada's last appearance". TouringCarTimes (Mediaempire Stockholm AB). Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  7. Tremayne, Sam (23 March 2013). "Monza WTCC: Yvan Muller dominates chaotic qualifying". Autosport (Haymarket Publications). Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  8. "GRID PENALTIES FOR TARQUINI AND DUDUKALO". World Touring Car Championship (Kigema Sport Organisation). 23 March 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  9. "LADA WITHDRAWS FROM THE MEETING". World Touring Car Championship (Kigema Sport Organisation). 24 March 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  10. Tremayne, Sam (25 March 2013). "Monza Lada collision could cost Aleksei Dudukalo his WTCC seat". Autosport (Haymarket Publications). Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  11. Hudson, Neil (29 March 2013). "Mikhail Koslovskiy replaces Dudukalo at Lada". TouringCarTimes (Mediaempire Stockholm AB). Retrieved 29 March 2013.

External links

Media related to Aleksei Dudukalo at Wikimedia Commons