[STCC] 2014 STCC speculation, rumours and news

[PorscheFanNo1]

Well, the racing in Sweden is over for 2013 and already news are coming for the 2014 season, in charp contrast to this year where nothing was in place until just a few weeks before the first race.

To start off, 2014 will see a reverse grid for the 2nd race, I have also interpreted it as all weekends will feature 2 races?

Another controversial change is the introduction of Rallycross Supercars into the support package for Mantorp and Tierp. Exacly how this is going to work out is still unknown, but there has been talks about them both racing on the same day.


Onto what we can exspect on the gird then:

• Dacia Dealer Team (former MA:GP) has already confirmed they will stay on for 2014, no words if they are expanding to more cars, but its likely it will stay the same with one car for team owner Mattias Andersson.
  
• PWR with Daniel Haglöf are working on an assault with 2 cars, no words on who the 2nd driver would be.
  
• Brovallen is aiming to keep 2 cars and having Mangs in one, no words on 2nd driver but Andreas Wernersson seems likely.
  
• Polestar are looking at 3-4 cars, its already known one of the 4 guys are leaving STCC for V8Supercars, which looks to be Dahlgren. The rest of them are likely to stay with Volvo in STCC.
  
• WCR, nothing said really, you can count on them wanting to keep Göransson and Larsson, question here is can they get the fundings.
  
• Engström has said he will race in 2014, but we will see if its still in STCC with Honda or something else entirely.
  
• PTR/DHL switched driver for the last race, Roos didnt fare any better then previous driver Graff. Nothing said on 2014, but with only 8 points scored in the season I'm not counting on them coming back, they need to source a driver that has experience in this type of car to be able to challenge really for the points.
  
• Team Tidö had a torrid season and Roar Lindland left towards the end of the season to race in Porsche Supercup. If they will be back for 2014 I'm guessing they want Erik Johansson, having won FRenault 1.6 for the team, to race their STCC car.
  
• New teams? Will KMS enter with VW of will they focus on Rallycross Supercars only?

[DS"]

Doesn't look like there will be more cars than this year. If Volvo really decides to divert its resources to V8SC AND WTCC, then STCC is pretty much screwed. Unless VW starts supporting STCC again, I can't see any positive future for STCC.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I can see STCC surviving. I'm assuming that Bjorn Werdheim won't confirm a drive again in the series though. Are Volvo actually entering the WTCC in 2014? If so, what with? And who will drive? Bjork has proven himself to be on fire this season, leaving everyone behind him. Whilst he deserves to be on the bigger stage, the STCC keeping world class touring car drivers such as him and Goransson would, like Neal and Plato do for the BTCC, only help the series.

[JMeissner]

Polestar has got a contract with Volvo for STCC until 2015, next season is confirmed.

[DS"]

Originally Posted by JMeissner

Polestar has got a contract with Volvo for STCC until 2015, next season is confirmed.

Okay, thanks for clarifying!

But does that contract stipulate the number of cars that Polestar runs? Maybe Volvo will support only two cars, with the rest of cars being funded by Polestar themselves (I take the ADAC GT Masters as an example, where Audi's DTM works team Abt and Phoenix ran Audi R8's on their own, without Ingolstadt's "pocket money")?

Is there also any chance that S2000/NGTC cars MIGHT return to STCC? Perhaps even as a seperate series? Because TV ratings have shown that more people wanted to see the S2000 cars than the Solution-F cars.

[JMeissner]

The set number of Volvos for next year is not confirmed yet.

Doubt that the TCTA and teams would ditch their cars and investment after just two years for a format which they thew out two years ago... And your last conclusion of TV ratings is not correct.

[DS"]

Originally Posted by JMeissner

And your last conclusion of TV ratings is not correct.

Let's see:

This post is about the STCC and TTA ratings from 2012: http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....5&postcount=94

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

And while there's been sparse crowds at the track STCC is winning the TV battle handily. This weekend 147k saw the STCC race and 29k the TTA race. From the first weekend STCC has been going up each time and TTA down in viewership figures.

STCC was on SVT in 2012, while TTA was at TV-10 (Or whatever the channel was called).

Now let's take a look at this year: http://tentenths.com/forum/showpost....&postcount=208

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

TV figures still abysmal as well. 57k on SVT1, that's a goddamn embarrasment.

Since these users are from Sweden, I put enough trust into their words. While these ratings were just referring to a particular weekend, they still say a lot. Namely, that the STCC lost almost 66% of their TV audience from 2012, despite being on the same channel as last year.

It's true that the TTA teams invested a lot of money into their Solution-F cars. But I'm afraid that they have to admit that their investment was just wrong. It seems that silhouette touring cars are not what the Swedish TV audience wants to see. It also seems that the Solution-F cars are not what all teams in the Swedish touring car scene wanted to race. When I compare entry lists of the 2011 and the 2013 championships, I only count five teams from 2011 that'd still compete in 2013. Yes, STCC got some new teams like the Dacia team or the Saab teams. But even they can just gather the funding for one car operations, so I conclude that sponsors also doesn't feel attracted to the silhouette cars.

With 2014 not really looking like an improvement over 2013, I'm afraid that STCC is really poisoned and that it'll eventually die of this "poisoning". By the way, it says a lot that Jan "Flash" Nilsson left the scene after 2012, like a thief in the night. I guess he was really behind his "vision".

[JMeissner]

I'm not talking about the figures dropping, but your assumption that it was because of the switch of regulations.

[FIRE]

I am not sure it would be much better if they had switched to NGTC.
Maybe we must accept that after 15 years of success now there will be a period of low amount of entries and interest.

What about Flash? Are they gone forever?

[DS"]

Originally Posted by JMeissner

I'm not talking about the figures dropping, but your assumption that it was because of the switch of regulations.

How else would you then explain the massive drop in TV ratings? Especially when the S2000 cars have drawn higher ratings. I doubt that Swedish interest in auto racing has dropped off that sharply. Since you seem to have more insight into the scene (I don't mean it negatively), would you mind sharing your insight with us?

[JMeissner]

You have to take more factors in to the equation, such as the STCC/TTA split of last year, the SBF/STCC fight earlier this year, etc.

Pointing at the Solution-F regulations is going the easy way.

When STCC switched to S2000 in 2003, the grid was even smaller than now as well as dropping tv-figures/spectators for the first years.

[rich07]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

• Polestar are looking at 3-4 cars, its already known one of the 4 guys are leaving STCC for V8Supercars, which looks to be Dahlgren. The rest of them are likely to stay with Volvo in STCC.

How is it already known that one driver will leave for Australia? Has it been discussed in Sweden? There have been rumors of someone quite probably Dahlgren joining the Volvo V8 squad but then again they are just rumors and I don't believe them.

I wish Volvo were racing the STCC car in V8s, geez that's a beautiful car especially in Polestar blue

[JohannD]

Still don't understand why Volvo went ahead with all this.
The team is huge, 4 cars plus support for a 5th, yet there is hardly any international coverage or better said none at all. To the world outside Sweden Polestar is now known for offering cars which can't be had. Then there's the Down Under adventure. Again a huge effort for what seems to be a very small car market in trouble. The Polestar Volvo S60's apparently specially prepped to support the V8SC decision do not sell. Those who wants one can not but buy them ..For the rest of the world there won't be that much coverage just like the closed Swedish racing scene.

Great for Polestar Racing but there is something very wrong with Volvo's marketing engine.

[porsche962fan]

in WTCC they have the problem that they advertise cars in markets in which they aren't actually present , not too mention the very high price for a WTCC effort


they should come back to BTCC

[PorscheFanNo1]

Originally Posted by JMeissner

You have to take more factors in to the equation, such as the STCC/TTA split of last year, the SBF/STCC fight earlier this year, etc.

Pointing at the Solution-F regulations is going the easy way.

When STCC switched to S2000 in 2003, the grid was even smaller than now as well as dropping tv-figures/spectators for the first years.

Have to agree with this, everytime you change regulations you will drop cars on the grid and you will drop spectators both on track and TV, look at BTCC in 2001. A bigger drop in quality of drivers on grid, TV viewers and general status in the motorsportworld will probably never be seen again in touringcars. All to do with ST needed to be phased out and TOCA went with their own set of regulations.

In STCC S2000 needed to be phased out, just as it has been in BTCC. I still argue that this transition from S2000 to Solution-F has good reasonably smooth, better then the transition in 2003 to S2000 atleast, despite the obstacles pointed out by Meissner. And better then BTCC transition in 2001. The dice is rolled, it landed on Solution-F, give them the deserved few years to get it running again and in 2015 we will see if we have 20+ top cars or if we will have 10- cars and a new change in the pipe.

The racing this year has not been bad, the number of cars has not been that bad either for it being the first year in STCC (and 2nd year ever in existance for the cars).

Had STCC gone NGTC the grid would have been even smaller, that I take for certain, since it would have lacked at least the 4 teams that created TTA.

Anyway, I think we can leave that discussion since its not going to change anything. Better focus on 2014 and try and make it as good as it can get. No negativity is a start.

DS": The new Dacia team is in fact MA:GP that ran in STCC 2011.

rich07: We'll see General perception here in Sweden is atleast that Dahlgren will be one of the drivers in 2014, motivated by the development that Polestar is doing they would want a driver that they are used to work with which can give valuable information. Take Thommo in 2011 for example, great driver in a great team, didnt work since they had different ways of working. After that its only logical that they would want one of their own drivers if they are going to help develop anything on the V8Supercars.

PS: Long post, sorry for that

[Mr Pink]

Any rumors about KMS returning?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by porsche962fan

they should come back to BTCC

Same problem as STCC: Almost zero coverage outside UK.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

rich07: We'll see General perception here in Sweden is atleast that Dahlgren will be one of the drivers in 2014, motivated by the development that Polestar is doing they would want a driver that they are used to work with which can give valuable information. Take Thommo in 2011 for example, great driver in a great team, didnt work since they had different ways of working. After that its only logical that they would want one of their own drivers if they are going to help develop anything on the V8Supercars.

PS: Long post, sorry for that

What's the involvement of Polestar in V8SC? Engine development?
I assume Gary Rogers Motorsport will build the cars.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

Any rumors about KMS returning?

Rallycross?

[JohannD]

2014 will see new 1.6 4 cylinder turbo engine's?

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Originally Posted by JMeissner

You have to take more factors in to the equation, such as the STCC/TTA split of last year, the SBF/STCC fight earlier this year, etc.

Pointing at the Solution-F regulations is going the easy way.

When STCC switched to S2000 in 2003, the grid was even smaller than now as well as dropping tv-figures/spectators for the first years.

You cannot change regulations for next year, that is a given. But how much time should the TTA cars be given? For the sake of the championship there needs to be contingency plans.

What I find truly worrying is that no one seems to be acknowledging the dire situation the championship has put itself in. 70% of the audience is gone and things need to change to bring them back. They need to improve the package they have (eg replace Kruse & Klementz) before spending money and time on the rally cross project.

Also, is Dahlgren really headed to V8's? That still seems like a waste for everyone.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by JohannD

2014 will see new 1.6 4 cylinder turbo engine's?

No

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Magnusson

Also, is Dahlgren really headed to V8's? That still seems like a waste for everyone.

They will enter 2 cars. Scott McLaughlin is confirmed, the 2nd driver not yet. Current GRM driver Alexandre Premat is a possibility.

IMO it would be a mistake te hire a newcomer like Dahlgren for the first season.

[AxelF]

Originally Posted by FIRE

They will enter 2 cars. Scott McLaughlin is confirmed, the 2nd driver not yet. Current GRM driver Alexandre Premat is a possibility.

IMO it would be a mistake te hire a newcomer like Dahlgren for the first season.

I think, V8 Supercars only work with australian drivers or from New Zealand. Or even guys that are known internationally.
Its still a "local" series, with not many fans outside of Australia.

I don't know, what plans are behind Mercedes and Volvo to enter there. Maybe they want to expand their market position there or something.

[kurski]

BMW Dealer Team WestCoast Racing is planning to run four cars in the 2014 Scandinavian Touring Car Championship.