[WTCC] 2015 WTCC news & rumours

[pinkd56]

Originally Posted by DS"

Will any Russian customer team pick up some TC1 Grantas? They've won races after all. No seriously, what about squads like SMP Racing? They have some good Russian backing that wants to present itself on an international level.

Isn't SMP racing part of Russian Bears Motorsport (who run the LADAs anyway)?

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by DS"

Will any Russian customer team pick up some TC1 Grantas? They've won races after all. No seriously, what about squads like SMP Racing? They have some good Russian backing that wants to present itself on an international level.

Lada has already announced that the Granta's will end up in museums, no customer team there.

Originally Posted by pinkd56

Isn't SMP racing part of Russian Bears Motorsport (who run the LADAs anyway)?

SMP Racing is the former Russian Bears, spiced up with millions of Russian Bank money. As far as I know they don't run the Lada's anymore?

[pinkd56]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

SMP Racing is the former Russian Bears, spiced up with millions of Russian Bank money. As far as I know they don't run the Lada's anymore?

I assumed that Russian Bears were still involved with the LADA Sport team due to Viktor Shapovalov appearing on TV - I might be mistaking him for someone else.

[jsmee]

From what I understand Huff gets to keep his Granta!

[Andrew Abbott]

Originally Posted by pinkd56

I assumed that Russian Bears were still involved with the LADA Sport team due to Viktor Shapovalov appearing on TV - I might be mistaking him for someone else.

Viktor Shapovalov was involved with Russian Bears but he is now running TMS Sport, who run the LADAs in the series.

[pach233]

So I think so far we have...

Citroen - Jose Maria Lopez
Citroen - Yvan Muller
Citroen - Sebastian Loeb
SLR Citroen - Ma Quin Hua?
SLR Citroen - ?

JAS Honda - Gabriele Tarquini
JAS Honda - Tiago Monteiro
JAS/Zengo Honda - Norbert Michelisz
NIKA Honda - Rikard Rydell
Proteam Honda - Mehdi Bennani

ROAL Chevy - Tom Chilton
ROAL Chevy - Tom Coronel
Campos Chevy - Hugo Valente
Campos Chevy - Dusan Borkovic
Munnich Chevy - Gianni Morbidelli
Munnich Chevy - Rene Munnich

Lada - Rob Huff
Lada - James Thompson
Lada - Mikhail Kozlovskiy

What am I missing? What about guys like Pepe Oriola, Michel Nykjaer and Stefano D'Aste?

[Bramzel]

I have doubts about those Chevy's, I wouldn't be surprised to one or two changes there.

[iceman-1987]

i would not be surprised to see more Chevy. Bennani could be the second driver for slr team

[E46]

Originally Posted by pach233

What am I missing? What about guys like Pepe Oriola, Michel Nykjaer and Stefano D'Aste?

Pepe Oriola will join the new TC3 International Series.

[werner]

In his video Tom Coronel claimed that he would like to return next year with ROAL, but that no deal has been struck yet.

[helmat]

Volvo return to the WTCC!
Asian rounds in 2015 - full season in 2016
first driver most likely to be Robert Dahlgren

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by werner

In his video Tom Coronel claimed that he would like to return next year with ROAL, but that no deal has been struck yet.

Same story every year. He'll be back

Originally Posted by helmat

Volvo return to the WTCC!
Asian rounds in 2015 - full season in 2016
first driver most likely to be Robert Dahlgren

Fantastic news!

[Andrew Abbott]

Engstler confirms his WTCC exit after Macau - not unexpected really.

http://www.touringcars.net/2014/11/f...it-after-macau

[DS"]

According to Motorsport-Total, the WTCC is still negotiating with Macao for the 2015 race. The same article also confirms that TC3 is looking for Macao as well: http://www.motorsport-total.com/wtcc...-14111803.html

[Monkey Head]

Originally Posted by DS"

According to Motorsport-Total, the WTCC is still negotiating with Macao for the 2015 race. The same article also confirms that TC3 is looking for Macao as well: http://www.motorsport-total.com/wtcc...-14111803.html

MGP Co-coordinator Antunes say in Radio Macau that WTCC have just sent contract renwal proposal last sunday

http://www.sportmotores.com/portal/!...20055&id=40954

[NaBUru38]

I hope that Volvo returns full-time.

[iceman-1987]

I'd like see menu on Volvo car!

[Metzo]

Originally Posted by pach233

So I think so far we have...

Citroen - Jose Maria Lopez
Citroen - Yvan Muller
Citroen - Sebastian Loeb
SLR Citroen - Ma Quin Hua?
SLR Citroen - ?

JAS Honda - Gabriele Tarquini
JAS Honda - Tiago Monteiro
JAS/Zengo Honda - Norbert Michelisz
NIKA Honda - Rikard Rydell
Proteam Honda - Mehdi Bennani

ROAL Chevy - Tom Chilton
ROAL Chevy - Tom Coronel
Campos Chevy - Hugo Valente
Campos Chevy - Dusan Borkovic
Munnich Chevy - Gianni Morbidelli
Munnich Chevy - Rene Munnich

Lada - Rob Huff
Lada - James Thompson
Lada - Mikhail Kozlovskiy

What am I missing? What about guys like Pepe Oriola, Michel Nykjaer and Stefano D'Aste?

there are rumors about Kubica joining SLR and Filippi driving a Cruze at Campos.


great news about volvo, hope to see them on grid for the end of 2015

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by helmat

Volvo return to the WTCC!
Asian rounds in 2015 - full season in 2016
first driver most likely to be Robert Dahlgren

That would be great!

[jsmee]

Would be good to see Kubica in at SLR but I suspect it will be someone like Hugo Valente as a Frenchman...

[Rubio]

Wow, great news about Volvo, also good that the sourse (Neil Hudson) is very credible. Can't wait to see them.

Also good to hear that we haven't lost Macau. Yet. Who knows what
s going to happen, but strange they made a proposal only now. Maybe they were trying to negotiate for better time slots during the GP?

I hear Mehdi Bennani is likely to be one of SLR drivers. Don't forget he spoke about two offers between the races.

Don't see Kubica in WTCC still, he wants to do rallying.

[Bramzel]

Another name for the 2nd SLR seat is Jean-Karl Vernay, currently racing Porsches for SLR in France. Source is René de Boer, so its not out of thin air. It'll be a hot seat this cold winter, thats a fact!

[Mies7337]

Indeed, great news about Volvo!!! They'll probably drive the S60, they only need to produce a good engine.
Metzo, I don't think that the WTCC line up will be exactly the same as it was this year, the 3 Citroens and Ladas will be the same, as confirmed, but the rest will be different, I think.
SLR will probably hire Frenchmen, so Bennani would not be a logical choice. As well as I think that Bennani is not WTCC worthy. So, Vernay and Valente sounds like a possibility.
Is Honda going to produce another car, so 6 Honda's will be on the grid? And how about RML, are they going to build more cars as well?

[Go_For_Pole]

Last year RML said that their car count was limited by time rather than demand. They have time now but have they got demand? Hopefully yes.

I am wondering about the Chiltons. Surely the F1 dream of Max is over so what next for him?

[pach233]

I've read (Touring Car Times) that the 6th Honda would be a test car only so we should expect 5.

The Volvo news is really great. I think they've added quite a bit to V8 Supercars and if they make a proper two/three car attack on WTCC it would only add to the prestige. WTCC is the perfect partner for a manufacturer like Volvo IMO.