[WTCC] Race 23 & 24 - Macau (MAC), 13/14/16 November 2008

[FIRE]

Schedule
13/11 Test 00:00 CET
14/11 Free Practice 1 00:00 CET
14/11 Free Practice 2 00:00 CET
14/11 Qualifying 00:00 CET
16/11 Warm Up 00:00 CET
16/11 Race 1 04:00 CET
16/11 Race 2 06:15 CET

Drivers Championship
1 Yvan Muller (FRA) 100
2 Gabriele Tarquini (ITA) 86
3 Robert Huff (GBR) 73
4 Rickard Rydell (SWE) 72
5 Andy Priaulx (GBR) 67
More

Manufacturers Championship
1 SEAT 304
2 BMW 251
3 Chevrolet 211
4 HONDA 55
More

Yokohame Independents' Trophy & Yokohama Teams' Trophy

News

Maximum ballast for fifteen
A record fifteen drivers will carry the maximum 70kg success ballast in the season’s final race meeting at Macau, including the top-seven of the Drivers’ Championship: from Yvan Muller to Augusto Farfus.

The remaining eight drivers laden by the 70 extra kilos are the race-by-race entries who, according to article 79 c) of the Sporting Regulations, must carry in the final event a ballast equal to the average of the top five success ballast weights.

A total of twenty-five drivers will have success ballast in Macau.

Success ballast – Macau
70 kg Y. Muller, G. Tarquini, R. Huff, R. Rydell, A. Priaulx, J. Müller, A. Farfus, K. Ladygin, M. Orido, M. Kano, M. Choo, M. Marsh, A. Couto, J. Merszei, Let Kit Meng
65 kg T. Coronel
53 kg J. Gené
51 kg F. Porteiro
48 kg N. Larini, T. Monteiro
44 kg A. Menu
32 kg A. Zanardi
24 kg J. Thompson
14 kg S. Hernández
2 kg S. D'Aste

Couto with N.technolgoy at Macau
Macau motorsport hero André Couto will rejoin N.technology for the WTCC final on his home racetrack.

Macau motorsport hero André Couto will rejoin N.technology for the WTCC final on his home racetrack. He will be at the wheel of the team’s second Honda Accord Euro R car – the same machine that Japanese driver Yukinori Taniguchi has raced in Monza and will race again in Okayama.

Like last year Couto, who won the 2000 F3 Macau GP and took pole position in the 2003 Macau Guia race with an N.technology Alfa Romeo 147, will team again with James Thompson.

“Macau has always been a special race for me and being given the opportunity to race there again with N.technology is great,” said Couto. “Is a very demanding track, which commends a driver's attention but everyone enjoys it greatly! Having seen what the car can do this year, I look forward to getting behind the wheel and seeing what James and I can do on these famous streets.”

Couto has become a regular competitor in the WTCC final at Macau, having raced there in 2005 and 2007 with the N.technology Alfa Romeo 156 and in 2006 for SEAT Sport. His best result so far was a seventh position in 2006 Race 2.

Source: WTCC press release

[Pettersson]

Those ballast rules really needs to be changed... I think it is ridiculous with a 70kg ballast... 40kg should be the maximum ballast IMO.

Hmm, I wonder how many cars will be written off this year at Macau and Lisboa bend?

[Aslak Vind]

Thanks for the update, Fire!

[Aslak Vind]

Originally Posted by Pettersson

Those ballast rules really needs to be changed... I think it is ridiculous with a 70kg ballast... 40kg should be the maximum ballast IMO.

Hmm, I wonder how many cars will be written off this year at Macau and Lisboa bend?

Well, Chevrolet had to deliver their 2007 two Lacettis to Chevrolet Motorsport Denmark after the race, and the two cars didnt really have much left, in sort of unbend shells..

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Pettersson

Those ballast rules really needs to be changed... I think it is ridiculous with a 70kg ballast... 40kg should be the maximum ballast IMO.

Hmm, I wonder how many cars will be written off this year at Macau and Lisboa bend?

There wil be changes next season.

[stedevil]

I wish they went with something like the Argentinean system instead. No weight penalties and top 1-6 drivers in the championship starting 12-2 places back from where they qualify.

[Icebaby]

Why has Couto been brought in again by N-Tech, does he have to pay for the drive or is it links with the team?

Whilst he may be a specialist on the track limited running time in the Accord will make the venture mid pack really.

Thompson should go well here with limited ballast and a quick straight line Accord, anyone have an update on his plans for 09 ?

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by Icebaby

Why has Couto been brought in again by N-Tech, does he have to pay for the drive or is it links with the team?

Whilst he may be a specialist on the track limited running time in the Accord will make the venture mid pack really.

If he makes it to the race this time...

[Martin Haven]

[QUOTE=Icebaby]Why has Couto been brought in again by N-Tech, does he have to pay for the drive or is it links with the team?QUOTE]

As an international driver who's Macau-born, I always assumed he had some sort of Macanese funding - local tourist board etc...

Macau is always strongly branded on his cars...

does anyone else know different?

[Aslak Vind]

N-Technology is in no position to say no at the moment..

Martin is right.

[Bramzel]

If he brings a poo-load of money then it makes sense indeed. All the newsitems always make it sound like he's a local specialist who's hired for his trackknowledge etc, hence the confusion I guess.

[Asa]

Couto is definitely supported by Macau govt and some local businesses. Actually, he is the one I think most WTCC teams want. He is fast enough and brings in money.

As for the other locals, Lei Kit Meng and Jo Merszei, I think these two won't even qualify. So the teams can just take the money without too much risk of damaging their cars in the race.

[Lam Pak]

macau gov pays a sum to every driver but couto and avila are god bless. they are quicker in fact. couto is paying but he paying for good the team. he and honda can raise podium this year.

team rpm and team champ gonna race jo and lei. asa friend you say is wrong. jo and lei practice in zhuhai and their clocks are quicker than aos bmw.

[Asa]

They are faster than Ao's BMW so they can qualify? I remember Ao Chi Hung also didn't qualify. Even in practice he was like 15 seconds off the pace.

http://www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo/mg..._QUAL.csv#view

Henry Lee Jr, who is among the top HK drivers, was 8 seconds off the pace in qualifying last year and only just made the grid, and you tell me Jo and Lei can qualify? I tell you they won't make it full stop.

I also don't think Masaki Kano and Melvin Choo will qualify easily. They might just make it.

I am talking about qualifying as in setting a time within the 107% rule, not about getting a starting place because of lack of entries.

[Valker]

Originally Posted by Asa

I am talking about qualifying as in setting a time within the 107% rule, not about getting a starting place because of lack of entries.

Isn't it 110% in WTCC?

[Asa]

I calculated using the qualifying results from 2007. If they changed it to 110% in 2008 then I don't know.

Even if it is 110% I still think Lei and Jo won't make it.

[stedevil]

In the Macau race, I dont see why the limit isn't 115%
They do 6-7 laps on a >6km track. You have to be mighty slow to get lapped.

[Renaud]

Stefano D'Aste will not compete in Macau. Check Proteam Motorsport website www.proteammotorsport.it

[Pettersson]

Also here: http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=2893

Haven't they learned that everything can hppen in Macau? Feels strange to just give up, but on the other hand it is expensive to wreck a car and the team has already won.

[stedevil]

Yeah, it does feel more like "why potentially crash both our cars when we in any case have 1st, 2nd and team independent secured". Im sure they can use that money better for next season development instead.

[Monkey Head]

does anyone think that faster than Ao Chi Hong,who make a lap slower than N2000 time in macau with a Super2000 320i,is a big achivement?

[Asa]

Originally Posted by stedevil

Yeah, it does feel more like "why potentially crash both our cars when we in any case have 1st, 2nd and team independent secured". Im sure they can use that money better for next season development instead.

I think they might be looking to sell the cars in the Far East, either to Japanese or Chinese racing teams.

[Aslak Vind]

Originally Posted by Asa

I think they might be looking to sell the cars in the Far East, either to Japanese or Chinese racing teams.

Good call, me thinks

Disneyland?

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Originally Posted by Pettersson

Also here: http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=2893

Haven't they learned that everything can hppen in Macau? Feels strange to just give up, but on the other hand it is expensive to wreck a car and the team has already won.

It's all about money!

[KA]

Originally Posted by Asa

Couto is definitely supported by Macau govt and some local businesses. Actually, he is the one I think most WTCC teams want. He is fast enough and brings in money.

As for the other locals, Lei Kit Meng and Jo Merszei, I think these two won't even qualify. So the teams can just take the money without too much risk of damaging their cars in the race.

they certainly won't now.....
http://www.fiawtcc.com/fiawtcc/sport_sto1748143.shtml