FIA World Touring Car Championship 2012

[I Rosputnik]

Thought it would make sense to toss this up now.

As far as I'm aware there has been rumours of three to four new manufacturers for next year and there was an article on Autosport a few months back that Tarquini has been in talks with manufacturers for the 2012 season. My guesses are currently Subaru, Ford and Honda. Subaru has been toying with an entry for a few years and why would AON build a new S2000 car for the BTCC when the regs are going out in two years time? Honda, I'm not sure if the Equipo Petrobras team are still working on the car anymore, but I hope it might come out of the blue.

Also I hope SEAT and Lada returns (Doubt it though) and Volvo expands to a three car team (I'd love to see Thomo back).

And the race in the USA could work wonders for the championship provided they play their cards very carefully.

Any news or thoughts on the 2012 season?

[Sodemo]

Would love to see Alfa Romeo back, but thats unlikely. Touring car racing for me is BMW VS Alfa, fantastic marques.

My personal "wants" from 2012 would be a move to 18-19" wheels, and moving to a higher boost pressure, to deliver something like 350-380BHP.

None of which is likely to happen of course.

[Jamesy-18]

There's always rumours certain manufacturers will join. I doubt it. The WTCC is not in a good place right now.

[Andrew Abbott]

Arena Motorsport to tackle the WTCC in 2012? That would seem quite logical. Develop the car a bit in the BTCC this year, then take the two Tom's into WTCC next year.

[Alfa Fan]

A bit early for this! We need to know what Volvo & SEATs plans are first to ascertain as to whether there will actually be a series? I really can't see Chevy continuing as a factory team as it stands (without any proper competition coming in).

[Robbe]

Italiaracing reported that Ford/Arena should be in, and Volvo is evaluating their participation.
Chevy probably wins everything there is to win this year. Not sure if there is any official position about 2012, but they have developed a brand new engine this year and the best base to add another championship next year. Beating Ford and Volvo would also be quite good maketing-wise. Let's hope they stay.
Seat would surprise me. The new engine of Sunred's cars is built by Lehmann, the cars are even homologated as SR Leon's so there is currently no support. If Seat would re-enter next year with an own engine, Sunred would have spent a lot of money for nothing.
It's been quiet about Subaru and the other japanese manufacturers.

Lotti says he has confirmation of almost all teams to stay on for 2012, Engstler even has Liqui Moly sponsorship secured, so I'm sure it will go on.

[Valenok]

Originally Posted by I Rosputnik

Also I hope ... Lada returns (Doubt it though)

It is absolutely impossibleLada enetered WTCC with governmental support and now all governmental money are spent for project 'Petrov' and 'Sochi GP'.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Robbe

Engstler even has Liqui Moly sponsorship secured, so I'm sure it will go on.

I don't understand Liqui Moly. They have a lot of logos on the cars. Why do they not put a pro driver in one of the cars?

[Jamesy-18]

Originally Posted by AndySpeed

Arena Motorsport to tackle the WTCC in 2012? That would seem quite logical. Develop the car a bit in the BTCC this year, then take the two Tom's into WTCC next year.

Can't see it myself. As Matt Neal pointed out recently, British tracks are very different from the ones WTCC race at. Completely different demands on a car. Would mean this year would be a complete waste of a year, and I think that both Chilton and Onslow-Cole want to stay in BTCC anyway.

[awrb]

I'm not sure it would be a complete waste really, as good as a year testing at least. And the british circuits are all fairly different so should be enough of a test for the car. After all, the Cruze and Leon were both developed for the WTCC and did pretty well over here.

As for the drivers, Chilton nearly went DTMing before MG Rover decided against it/went bust. And Onslow-Cole expressed interest in the V8 Supercars over the winter.

It would leave a bit of a gap in the line-up for the BTCC though.

[helgi]

Originally Posted by Robbe

Chevy probably wins everything there is to win this year. Not sure if there is any official position about 2012, but they have developed a brand new engine this year.

It's not a Chevy engine. They just didn't have a 1,6 DI Turbo at the time construction began. Cruze engine is an absolute prototype called P203, designed by RML engineers IIRC. And I can't understand why it's called "real cars, real racing" with prototypes all the way.

Leave it with true touringcars and all that Seat buses and Daewoos will have no chance against stock BMW 320.

[Andrew Abbott]

I believe it would make sense for Arena to be in the WTCC.

Originally Posted by FIRE

I don't understand Liqui Moly. They have a lot of logos on the cars. Why do they not put a pro driver in one of the cars?

Kristian Poulsen is pretty good there.

[Jamesy-18]

Originally Posted by AndySpeed

I believe it would make sense for Arena to be in the WTCC.

Well, if they're not winning in the BTCC at the moment, what hope have they got in the WTCC, a series that is (arguably) more competitive?

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Jamesy-18

Well, if they're not winning in the BTCC at the moment, what hope have they got in the WTCC, a series that is (arguably) more competitive?

I think there is a better class of driver (overall) in the WTCC, that doesn't mean to say that the BTCC is full of bad drivers, far from it. However, names like Muller, Menu, Huff, Farfus, Priaulx, Tarquini, Monterio, Coronel are all world class drivers. OK, Farfus and Priaulx arent there this year, but its still a strong field.

I'm not all that keen on the turbo engines in both the BTCC and WTCC. I think they lack drama, and I miss the growling/buzzing sounds from the naturally aspirated engines. A massive shame to lose the Volvo 5-cylinder too.

[Andrew Abbott]

I may be reading between the lines a little too much here, but take a look at comments such as this one from Shaun Hollamby: "I fully understand why he’s gone to the Ford team because they’re offering him something that we can’t which is the potential to do World Touring Cars" and this one on the Arena website: "In addition to their BTCC campaign, it was announced earlier this year that Arena Motorsport would be responsible for building all Global Ford Focus Touring Cars."

To me it hints, very slightly, that they might look to do it in the future. I'll leave it at that, though, as it's still pretty unsubstantiated mind-wandering on my part too

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Jamesy-18

Well, if they're not winning in the BTCC at the moment, what hope have they got in the WTCC, a series that is (arguably) more competitive?

They could get a real top-liner into develop the car, that's what.

[pinkd56]

The new Focus is still in the development stage though, although it is performing a lot better than the first Focus did when it started racing.

[Lam Pak]

i think many new carmakers look wtcc now if wtcc makes more races in china. china is makin diference in the world. here they need race more and more china drivers.

[michael_a_l]

Originally Posted by AndySpeed

I may be reading between the lines a little too much here, but take a look at comments such as this one from Shaun Hollamby: "I fully understand why he’s gone to the Ford team because they’re offering him something that we can’t which is the potential to do World Touring Cars" and this one on the Arena website: "In addition to their BTCC campaign, it was announced earlier this year that Arena Motorsport would be responsible for building all Global Ford Focus Touring Cars."

To me it hints, very slightly, that they might look to do it in the future. I'll leave it at that, though, as it's still pretty unsubstantiated mind-wandering on my part too

This would be awesome!!!

[gregc]

It's official - Ford and Arena evaluating a WTCC entry with the Focus.

[I Rosputnik]

While nothing is confirmed, this is sounds great.

[iceman-1987]

i have heard too that for sure volvo increase the number of his cars.
and ford will enter officcially through team arena.
it would be beauty if also Seat should decide to come back officially.
about other rumors im still waiting to know what subaru will decide to do for the next year.

about the new rules i would increade the number of km for each race. its not possible to see world touring car race just 30 minutes for each race. my idea would be or to make 2 races of 75 km, or to make 1 race sprint of 50 km and 1 race endurance of 100 km with change of tyres obbligatory!

[NaBUru38]

Adding pitstops would make entries more expensive and add little. Just make harder tyres. Argentine TC2000 can do 150km with one set of tyres.

I agree that races should be longer, or more precisely the final race. There should be one winner each weekend, even if there are multiple races.

[FIRE]

Increase race length by around 10 minutes but please no pitstops.

[Andrew Abbott]

As far as I can recall, I've only ever seen S2000 cars do relatively short races. Does anyone know what the fuel tank capacity is, or why there have never been any longer races?

And, if anyone knows, what is the longest-ever S2000 race? Could it be the second 2010 Guia race, at 54 minutes in duration?