[WTCC] ROAL (BMW Team Italy-Spain) vs Proteam

[FIRE]

At TCT there's an interview with Felix Porteiro. The Spaniard has driven for the factory team ROAL Motorsport since 2007 but due to financial reasons switched to independent team Proteam for the 2009 season.

...
"The only thing that makes Proteam different from a works team is the budget, but they have the same ability of a manufacturer supported structure. I would really love to see what they'd be able to do with the same budget as Roal, as with half the budget compared to BMW Team Italy-Spain they can field such a competitive car."
...

The ROAL Motorsport BMW's never really impressed me. Of course it's difficult to compare teams but if Proteam would run the factory BMW's would that result in better results?

[Robbe]

Proteam are doing a great job with Porteiro, also last year with Hernandez and D'Aste and before with Rangoni. Currently the best team in the Independent's Trophy.

ROAL however has already won races with Zanardi and Porteiro, and last year Porteiro scored 51 points, while Hernandez scored 9. Maybe Proteam just gets a bit more attention, because they are an independent team...

The best thing would be if both teams ran works cars

[stedevil]

I would say ROAL seems to be doing a lot worse with their bigger budget than Proteam. Porteiro always looked bleak and off pace last year, but shows now that he can be right at the top while last years stunning performer Hernandez looks mighty bleak, just like P used to when he was a ROAL driver.

Though we have only sofar had 2 race meetings, so lets see what happens from here on, especially now that the BMWs & TDIs will be 60kg heavier than the rest. It should really show which BMW driver&team that manages to keep ahead of the lighter competition, and which don't.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by stedevil

Though we have only sofar had 2 race meetings, so lets see what happens from here on, especially now that the BMWs & TDIs will be 60kg heavier than the rest.

Only one of the ROAL cars will be heavier, Zanardi will be part of the light brigade.

It should really show which BMW driver&team that manages to keep ahead of the lighter competition, and which don't.

Should be much harder on Proteam since their biggest competition will be the now lighter petrol Leons. ROAL's biggest competition is the Leon TDis and there will be no difference relative to each other (apart from Zanardi)

[helterskelter]

I have done the interview with Felix. He believes that it's not about technical ability, cause both teams have great people working on the cars. Maybe it's more of a financial problem. In fact, Ravaglia was one of the best touring car drivers, so maybe he's more handy on the technical stuff than actually handling the money and all that.
I was also talking to a guy who actually drove Ravaglia's cars, can't say who of course, who said to me that the biggest difference that you notice as soon as you get into the car is the different weight distibution. This is because Roal build their own cars, the rest of them buy the cars from BMW Motorsport.
Apart from that, you should also know the background of Proteam and notice that it's the independent team who has the biggest experience in the championship.
In the end, like Felix (and not only him!) said, Presenzini really deserves to become a works team. He always stuck to BMW (though he is said to have had an offer from Chevrolet to run the Lacettis, but he preferred the BMWs) and he always showed impressive pace in his cars, always chose the best drivers (and you'll see Vito Postiglione...) and has always invested a lot in the Wtcc, I can assure you. He earns money from the Clios and invests them into the Wtcc.

[stedevil]

Originally Posted by redshoes

Only one of the ROAL cars will be heavier, Zanardi will be part of the light brigade.

Yes and no, he still has the +30kg from using the 6speed sequential, so he'll be right in the middle weight wise. In any case he is a special case.

Should be much harder on Proteam since their biggest competition will be the now lighter petrol Leons. ROAL's biggest competition is the Leon TDis and there will be no difference relative to each other (apart from Zanardi)

Well, from the independents championship POV, of course ROAL dont care. But when Petrol SEATs as well as Chevies starts to fight with ROAL for the top 8 positions, they will be hurting no less than eg Proteam. And who knows what -60kg, new suspension and a new engine will do for the LADA.

[Hazard]

ROAL was quite a big hype a few years ago. Don't forget they somehow lured Giovanardi from the hyper competitive N-Tech Alfa's into their team for a pretty disastrous season.

Proteam are doing a fine job, and are mixing it well with ROAL which is very notable - however, Proteam have never really been as competitive as GR Asia were with their independant SEAT's (it's easy to get GR Asia confused with Sunred, because Coronel's just slotted over with his SEAT Holland backing into their cars - but they're not the same team).

ROAL's main problem has been it's drivers. Last year, Proteam had the better line-up. Rangoni & Hernandez were certainly a top line-up, Zanardi's a hero, and a superstar - but he's not a top rate touring car driver.

Porteiro's brilliant, but will be having to run hard to keep up with the ROAL's all this season - and his team mate is certainly no back up this year.

I'm not sure Proteam would produce a marked better effort with BMW backing - I don't think we're looking at anything budget inspired making the difference, the only difference BMW money would make would be the ability for Proteam not to run a pay driver as their #2, but since the reason Porteiro lost his seat in ROAL was budget related - it's clear not only Proteam pick their drivers by money.

[helterskelter]

Originally Posted by Hazard

ROAL was quite a big hype a few years ago. Don't forget they somehow lured Giovanardi from the hyper competitive N-Tech Alfa's into their team for a pretty disastrous season.

Proteam are doing a fine job, and are mixing it well with ROAL which is very notable - however, Proteam have never really been as competitive as GR Asia were with their independant SEAT's (it's easy to get GR Asia confused with Sunred, because Coronel's just slotted over with his SEAT Holland backing into their cars - but they're not the same team).

ROAL's main problem has been it's drivers. Last year, Proteam had the better line-up. Rangoni & Hernandez were certainly a top line-up, Zanardi's a hero, and a superstar - but he's not a top rate touring car driver.

Porteiro's brilliant, but will be having to run hard to keep up with the ROAL's all this season - and his team mate is certainly no back up this year.

I'm not sure Proteam would produce a marked better effort with BMW backing - I don't think we're looking at anything budget inspired making the difference, the only difference BMW money would make would be the ability for Proteam not to run a pay driver as their #2, but since the reason Porteiro lost his seat in ROAL was budget related - it's clear not only Proteam pick their drivers by money.

In an interview with Fabrizio I asked him about his BMW days, and he replied that it was not about ROAL, but it was about the ridgidity of 'the Germans', as he called them. He said 'I believe I'm a quick driver, but I'm also very prepared technically. All they wanted me to do was to go out and do quick laps, which is not the way I work.' So it was not Ravaglia's problem, it was BMW's.
Last year Proteam had Hernandez-d'Aste, Luca went to Italian Porsche Cup in 2008.
Anyway Proteam make NO tests, ROAL make 15-40 days of testing, which is a huge difference, as Felix remarks in the interview. That would be the main difference, not just the drivers because it'd be too 'simple' to say that.