WTCC 2008 Off-season: News & Rumours

[kmchow]

Originally Posted by Hazard

Not good for the current drivers morale I reckon - cept when they thrash them.

Alfa used to throw F1 drivers at the grid on occassion - very unsuccessfully (Massa, Fisichella).

Not really worth it in my opinion.

If the F1 season ends before the DTM season, it think would be nice to see more F1 drivers make a guest appearance to generate PR for the DTM. And if the F1 driver does bad, he has several months to rebuild his pride/ego!

[Ellmau]

I certainly hope that'll never happen. DTM already has to suffer from an image of wanting to be like F1, and every (former) F1-driver that comes near DTM is bad news IMO.

[duke_toaster]

Doesn't matter about F1, what about getting Rob Huff and Andy to run in some BTCC rounds

[redshoes]

This is only slightly WTCC related, but bare with me.

SEAT have announced a new Leon EuroCup which will run as a support to several European WTCC rounds. It's using the same Supercopa cars as we've seen in Britain, Spain, Germany, etc with some minor 2008 upgrades. This will be in addition to the local national series. The winning driver will get a 2009 WTCC drive.

SEAT León EuroCup provisional calendar
18 May: Spain (Valencia)
1 June: France (Pau)
6 July: Portugal (Estoril)
27 July: England (Brands Hatch)
31 August: Germany (Oschersleben)
5 October: Italy (Monza)

Note the date of the Brands Hatch meeting. That was the date originally scheduled for the Swedish WTCC round. We knew Brands had to move due to the BTCC getting the same date, but this wasn't what I expected.

The bad news, if this calendar is correct, is that it now puts the Brands WTCC meeting on the same weekend as Snetterton BTCC.

[PDS]

Redshoes, the only date there that doesn't clash with the BTCC is July 6 at Portugal, so we are onto a loser anyway.

Okay the October doesn't clash either, but Brands in October... no thanks!

Another downside with the clash of dates is that, the chance of a decent wildcard entry would seem pretty remote, especially from a british team!

[redshoes]

July 6th would work either - British GP.

I was expecting a swap with Spain, which would then clash with Thruxton. As you say, it's was never going to a good solution whatever happened.

Wonder if that means Sweden get the 21 Sept date.

[Alex K]

F1 drivers will not fill up the entry list, because (in most cases) they have contractual obligations with current teams and most notably sponsors, which so often are different then backers in F1 run team.

[redshoes]

The problem has got nothing to with the overpaid prima-dona drivers. Put simply, trying to run a WTCC meeting at Brands on the same weekend as the GP at Silverstone would be commercial suicide.

[Koulle]

Originally Posted by redshoes

This is only slightly WTCC related, but bare with me.

SEAT have announced a new Leon EuroCup which will run as a support to several European WTCC rounds. It's using the same Supercopa cars as we've seen in Britain, Spain, Germany, etc with some minor 2008 upgrades. This will be in addition to the local national series. The winning driver will get a 2009 WTCC drive.

SEAT León EuroCup provisional calendar
18 May: Spain (Valencia)
1 June: France (Pau)
6 July: Portugal (Estoril)
27 July: England (Brands Hatch)
31 August: Germany (Oschersleben)
5 October: Italy (Monza)

Note the date of the Brands Hatch meeting. That was the date originally scheduled for the Swedish WTCC round. We knew Brands had to move due to the BTCC getting the same date, but this wasn't what I expected.

The bad news, if this calendar is correct, is that it now puts the Brands WTCC meeting on the same weekend as Snetterton BTCC.

Schedule issues aside, this is a step in the right direction to improving the support package.

[Alex K]

Did you hear Ralf to Chevy rumours? :-D

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Alex K

Did you hear Ralf to Chevy rumours? :-D

Serious?


With SEAT very fast with the diesel engine it would not surprise me to see BMW having a few diesel cars next season. They have already experience with diesel powered racing cars.

[Chewie-1990]

Yer I've heard the same rumours about Schumacher, but Chevy have denied it, seems the only evidence the media has for Ralf going to the team is the fact that he's leaving Toyota, he hasn't even been in contact with the team

[Ellmau]

I don't believe Schumacher would want to go to WTCC

[Chewie-1990]

Agreed, no offence to Ralf but he seems more like the kind of driver to hang up his helmet altogether rather than race elsewhere, just my opinion but a few incidents in recent years have made me question how much of his participation in F1 was down to wanting to race and how much was down to money. Don't get me wrong he's had some good races this year, but still...
I'm not really sure the story had any foundations, Chevy already denied it on Autosport and I think the idea he will turn to touring cars after F1 is probably based more on recent history (Hakkinen, Frentzen, Alesi, Monteiro etc) than fact, I guess only time will tell

[FIRE]

Zanardi has no doubt he will drive for BMW in WTCC next season. Source: www.autosport.nl

[Aunt Sally]

No Alfa's next year! http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=1487

I wonder where Tommo will end up?

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sally

No Alfa's next year! http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=1487

I wonder where Tommo will end up?

Is there a rule that says how many manufacturers are necessary for a world championship?
I remember reading something like that. But I'm not sure if it was four or three manufacturers...

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Is there a rule that says how many manufacturers are necessary for a world championship?
I remember reading something like that. But I'm not sure if it was four or three manufacturers...

Three continents, but I doubt so many manufacturers are needed. Besides, with the Japan round what about a Honda outfit - bear in mind, of course, that there is a S2000 version of the Civic developed by a particular outfit in the UK ...

Thommo could go back to the BTCC in a Vauxhall. Is Tom Chilton resigning?

I love spinning the rumour mill

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

Three continents, but I doubt so many manufacturers are needed. Besides, with the Japan round what about a Honda outfit - bear in mind, of course, that there is a S2000 version of the Civic developed by a particular outfit in the UK ...

I prefer the JAS Accords.

[duke_toaster]

Originally Posted by FIRE

I prefer the JAS Accords.

What do they race in? I thought they were Swedish, but checking the site it seems like they aren't. The main problem with the Civic is it's rather fragile (compared to the bulletproof BTC-T Integra).

[redshoes]

I don't know of a minimum manufacturer requirement. There will still be 3 - BMW, SEAT and Chevrolet - so don't see a problem.

Can't say I'm that surprised about Alfa, it's been on the card for at least a year. I wouldn't be surprised if Thommo's negotiations for next year are already well under way, whoever it may be with.

[PDS]

The Accord is raced in Sweden.
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/ga...21aaw.jpg.html

And Denmark.
http://www.stillphotography.co.uk/ga...0013a.jpg.html

[PorscheFanNo1]

Raced at Monza yesterday too, was 2nd and 3rd I belive in the privateers cup.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

What do they race in? I thought they were Swedish, but checking the site it seems like they aren't. The main problem with the Civic is it's rather fragile (compared to the bulletproof BTC-T Integra).

The S2000 Honda Accord was developed by JAS. The Italian team has a long racing history with Honda (for example Super Touring Accords from 90s). The S2000 Accord was entered by JAS in WTCC in 2005 and 2006. This year they concentrate on the Civic rally project.

[FIRE]

Gebriele Tarquini and Yvan Muller drive for SEAT next year.
And probably Tiago Monteiro and maybe Rickard Rydell.

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...t=98233&page=7