[WTCC] 2015 WTCC news & rumours

[Rubio]

Dahlgren returns to Europe...WTCC duties become more and more likely?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Rubio

Dahlgren returns to Europe...WTCC duties become more and more likely?

Or he is just way to slow in a V8SC...

[Bramzel]

Dahlgren isn't just a driver, he's also an engineer. Behind the scenes his part in Volvo's V8 succes is apparently bigger then most think. V8's are notoriously difficult to learn, I guess they need his skills to set up their WTCC programme?

[Monkey Head]

Eurosport Event member have maken a circuit visit on Villa Real with Tiago Monteiro.Perhaps Race of Portugal still possible

[Rubio]

This possibility is confirmed by Portuguese motorsport federation, so may be really possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2C2XYFzoCs
I have to say that this is a great track, I would definitely like to see it in WTCC, reminds a bit of Macau, though much wider and faster

[Metzo]

according to touringcars.ru Münnich Motorsport sold one of their RML Cruze, the buyer is not mentioned. it is also likely that the team will retire completly from WTCC.

a few weeks ago Uwe Winter said that Rene Münnich is planning to drive in World Rallycross and WTCC next year, guess he was wrong.

[Rubio]

I have to admit that touringcars.ru is rather a blog, and information isn't that much reliable. In the article about Munnich he makes only a guess based on the info that Munnich will drive only one car. I would rely more on TcT information. Though, it's a pity to see Munnich downsize his efforts, Morbidelli has done a good season, even won a race what will be impossible to repeat by Rene Munnich on his own

[jsmee]

According to TcT, Morbidelli has said Munnich is looking to run a sole Chevy for himself.

[JoestForEver]

Then All-Inkl team will become a genuine "private" entry. Really sad to see such a successful team with great drivers and champions in GT ending up like this. The call by Rene Munnich is rather weird though, first moving away from GT3 and Euro Rallycross, then letting Huff go, and finally downsizing the team to serve himself only, for he has never got even close to the rest of the field.

[Andrew Abbott]

Indeed in Macau René Münnich couldn't even keep pace with the TC2 cars. I would have more respect for him if he continues to run a proper 'racing stable' which also includes talented drivers.

[Leintosz]

Originally Posted by Tarzaan

As I know/guess the situation here in Hungary, if Norbi goes to the JAS Honda (99% imho) Zengő motorsport might quit from WTCC.

They have only some mechanics/engeneers, imho they would follow Norbi, and the team

I doubt there are any hungarian drivers who can brig 5-600 000 Euros for a season. I have no doubt Kiss Norbi (FIA Truck champ, won an ETCC race with a 2l TC2 car this year) has the talent to be on the very top level of the WTCC, but he haven't got too much money backup and his relationship with Zoltan Zengő seems not the best.

Kiss Pál Tamás might be an other strong contender (AutoGP runner up and GP3 race winner) but he has no touring car experiment and also don't have too much money behind.

Maybe the current main sponsor, MOL (the main hungarian oil company) pay the bills for one of them, but if Norbi's mechanics follow Norbi to the JAS it would hard to keep this years level.

Unfortunately it is 99% sure that no Norbi - no MOL, which eventually leads to no Zengő. At the moment however it is more likely that Norbi will remain with Zengő with a bit of backing from Honda.

[Leintosz]

Originally Posted by 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!

Did René wrote it somewhere or you heard it from him personally?

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by Leintosz

Did René wrote it somewhere or you heard it from him personally?

He wrote it (in Dutch) on Autosport.nl: http://autosport.nl/klasse/nieuws/24...voor-team-loeb

Google translation:

With factory riders José MarÃ*a López, Sebastien Loeb and Yvan Muller comes Citroen Total team next year in the FIA WTCC in action. That made ​​Citroen announced during the last weekend of the WTCC season in Macau. The brand has a number of improvements to this season almost supreme race car C-Elysée WTCC in the pipeline. Two cars this year, which will also be adjusted with the mentioned improvements, will be deployed on a private basis by Sébastien Loeb Racing, the team that runs the nine-time World Rally Champion for four years with his business partner Dominique Heintz. Citroën is committed to the Chinese Ma Qinghua, who this year a limited WTCC program drove the French brand, to let his career under the banner of Sébastien Loeb Racing continue. For the other car circulates among others the name of Jean-Karl Vernay, who with Sébastien Loeb Racing already released in the French Porsche Carrera Cup.

Text: René de Boer (from Macau; Twitter:renedeboer)
Photo: PR

Among others though, so its not a sure thing.

[Rubio]

No Salzburgring in 2015
https://www.facebook.com/pages/IGM-S...07571375931339

Meanwhile, Honda have begun testing (it seems) at Motorland Aragon, so they definitely are working to catch Citroen

[Metzo]

Originally Posted by Monkey Head

Eurosport Event member have maken a circuit visit on Villa Real with Tiago Monteiro.Perhaps Race of Portugal still possible

more info about it (in portuguese)
http://www.autoportal.iol.pt/desport...tcc-ja-em-2015

[Belatti]

To challenge Citroen, Honda must improve the car but beside all, must contract a proper driver. Here in Argentina there are 2 or 3 that made life difficult to Lopez...

[Bramzel]

JAS simply needs to up its game. Zengo/Michelisz beat them many times this year, and if a privateer beats both of your drivers on a regular basis at least some alarm bells should go off.

[werner]

Originally Posted by Metzo

more info about it (in portuguese)
http://www.autoportal.iol.pt/desport...tcc-ja-em-2015

I have difficulties seeing the logic in moving the race to Vila Real. Vila Real is just an hour away from Porto. And Vila Real is a much smaller town. The Boavista-track has had some improvements over the years, that will have to be redone in Vila Real for an international race. (I don't speak Portugese very well, but in the article mentioned I read something about 600 million euro's!) all in all it looks a bit silly to me, despite my opinion that the Vila Real track is very exiting.

[JD Media]

They should go more to proper racing tracks like Zandvoort, Salzburgring, Spa, Brands Hatch instead of those citystreettracks...

[Mr Pink]

The Vila Real circuit is about as proper as a circuit gets though..

[redshoes]

According to Midweek Motorsport / Radio Le Mans, Robert Kubica will joins Sebastian Loeb Racing next year and will compete in both WTCC and WRC.

[jsmee]

Originally Posted by Belatti

To challenge Citroen, Honda must improve the car but beside all, must contract a proper driver. Here in Argentina there are 2 or 3 that made life difficult to Lopez...

Do you mean to say Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro are not quick enough... Right...

[porsche962fan]

Originally Posted by jsmee

Do you mean to say Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro are not quick enough... Right...

no they aren't

[Rubio]

Tarquini and Monteiro are good drivers but they are no match for Lopez/Muller even Huff (ok, Tarquini ousted Muller once but still) - Tiago doesn't have so much speed while Gabriele's age seems to begin playing a factor. Michelisz was faster than both of them and that means a lot

BTW, Michelisz is testing together with factory Honda team at Aragon

[Monkey Head]

Villa Real confirmed for 2015 season,on 10-12 July

http://www.sportmotores.com/sportmot...OTICIA(41041);