How do you rate Chevrolet's chances of winning a title in the WTCC?

[MikeD]

Hi all,

I would like to hear your opinion on Chevrolet's chances of winning a title in WTCC this year and in the future. With only 3 cars I think they will find it extremely hard to ever win the constructors title. I am a little unsure if any of their 3 current drivers are able to win a drivers' title. Maybe Menu can, but I don't rate Huff or Larini that high.

Your thoughts?

[BertMk2]

The 3 car team does limit their chances in the constructors - and also limits the amount of tactical use of cars during races (holding people up whilst another driver makes a break for it etc.).

As far as the drivers go - Menu is a proven winner, there's no doubting his class and he clearly has what it takes to win a title. The other two are both competent drivers but I wouldn't expect either to take a title.

[Icebaby]

I think RML/Chevy need to change the driver line up as its becoming like an old pair of shoes and lacks real aggesssion now.

Menu is class but has not really been able to put two strong races together in the weekend, Huff is coming good does not yet have the credentials to go all the way to the title, larini must be nearing haning up the helmet and feel he should go to make way for a new talent.

They had the chance to sign Thompson twice in the time the partnership has been running and didnt approach him, had they have done I think the chevy would have been in the frame for a title.

[Craner Curves]

Larini is vastly underrated these days. He just needs one win to get the ball rolling again.

[Bramzel]

Next year Chevrolet will come with a new car, and I think Huff has mentioned they'll use a new car next year. That would be the new Nubira/Cobalt then, here on a spyphoto:



I don't think that Chevy will ever be a contender with only 3 cars and Huff and Larini. Menu is a proven winner, but to me it seems like Larini has lost his fire. And Huff is the big question mark for me. He seems to lack consistency, sometimes he has a brilliant race but in other occasions he's nowhere to be found. I'd give him the benefit of doubt.

[THIM]

Definitely they need stronger drivers. At least one, who is both fast and tough. Rydell would be good, if they forgave him Anderstorp

[stedevil]

Indeed, Rydell really show the 3 others how that Chevy should be driven in his first (but probably also last ) drive in it.

As for Chevy needing more cars, IMO no, but we would need BMW and Seat to also have max 3-4 cars too. Attracting more manufacturers is the real answer here. That would additionally severely undermine the political leverage the 3 big manufacturers have today, which would be a welcomed change.

[awrb]

I think they should limit manufacturers to having maybe four cars. I think that may be putting new manufacturers off, because theres already 14 competitive, manufacturer backed cars, so they'll need to do a lot of work.

as for Chevy's drivers, I think Menu's a genius, one of my heroes of touring cars, and I don't think they could find three drivers better than him. Larini's a very good driver, but not title winning stuff IMHO. i've never really rated Huff. He's good, but thats it really. I can think of a number of drivers who i'd put in that car over Huff if I was Ray Mallock.

But fortunatly for rob I'm not.

[Les]

they def need to link the number of cars per manufacturer - it looks visually bad and what with team orders (or good manners) it ruins the racing.
No way would I want Rydell in any team of mine - not a team player

[werner]

How about changing Huff or Larini for Vauxhall- (GM, just as Chevy) ace Giovanardi. He clearly has what it takes to be succesful in WTCC. IMO Huff is a tad to light for WTCC, but in BTCC he should be able to fight for the championship.

[THIM]

Originally Posted by werner

How about changing Huff or Larini for Vauxhall- (GM, just as Chevy) ace Giovanardi. He clearly has what it takes to be succesful in WTCC. IMO Huff is a tad to light for WTCC, but in BTCC he should be able to fight for the championship.

That's good idea, but why Gio moved to BTCC? Would he come back?

[werner]

When Muller left Vauxhall, they needed a star-driver to fight for the title. The car wasn't that good in 2007, so they really needed a world-class driver to have a chance. Add to that the fact that they had to develop an S2000-car, so a driver with S2000-experience would fit the profile. Giovanardi fitted the profile, so no wonder Vauxhall wanted to hire him.
For Giovanardi Vauxhall was a good option to. He did not have the BTCC-title on his resumé, and now he has. Alfa where really cutting the budget. It's no wonder Farfus went to BMW. So probably they did not want to pay Giovanardi a lot, and Vauxhall offered more.
But now he has won the Britisch title, a shot at the World-title would be another challenge. When he won the series as we know it, it only was a European title.

[awrb]

I think Werner's right, now Gio's won the btcc, he could move back to the wtcc. But it doesn't mean he'll go to Chevy just because they're also GM.

Gio has such good reputation he could move wherever he pleases. Doubt he'd go back to BMW unless he did a test in the si and it went much better than with the i. So that means probibly SEATor Chevy. He did drive the JAS Honda a few years back though, so could he join his old team N Tech with their new project?

[trebor901]

VXR wont let him go for another couple of years and i think he'd end his career at BTCC tbh. Cant see him now going back to the WTCC.

[werner]

Originally Posted by awrb

I think Werner's right, now Gio's won the btcc, he could move back to the wtcc. But it doesn't mean he'll go to Chevy just because they're also GM.

Gio has such good reputation he could move wherever he pleases. Doubt he'd go back to BMW unless he did a test in the si and it went much better than with the i. So that means probibly SEATor Chevy. He did drive the JAS Honda a few years back though, so could he join his old team N Tech with their new project?

I think only when Honda will support the effort more. I think he earns a nice salary at Vauxhall, and I don't think N-teck are able to offer a similar pay yet. But hopefully they will soon, and then I see it happen.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

Next year Chevrolet will come with a new car, and I think Huff has mentioned they'll use a new car next year. That would be the new Nubira/Cobalt then, here on a spyphoto:



I don't think that Chevy will ever be a contender with only 3 cars and Huff and Larini. Menu is a proven winner, but to me it seems like Larini has lost his fire. And Huff is the big question mark for me. He seems to lack consistency, sometimes he has a brilliant race but in other occasions he's nowhere to be found. I'd give him the benefit of doubt.

**** that's ugly.

[BootsOntheSide]

The team's completely failing to move forward. Now that SEAT have so many strong diesel cars, Chevvy need a big impact from the new car next year. An improved driver lineup is probably needed, maybe Thompson and Coronel to join Menu?

[FIRE]

They need drivers who are more consistent.

BTW I like this new Nubira/Cobalt.

[awrb]

At least the new car looks something, ugly or not, the old one's just boring.

I think that the Chevy really lacks a strong point altogether. SEAT has the tourque of the deisel engine, BMW has the good traction of the RWD, the chevy just seems ok at everything. If they can get something on this new car thats better than the SEAT's and BMW's they can do well.

[Martin Haven]

hmmm... wonder how the new Chevy would look in red white and black???





Did anyone say the Honda was ugly??

[stedevil]

Hehe, indeed, they look quite similar. Though the chevy looks a bit taller, at least on that picture.

[cmk]

The Chevy indeed appears taller from those photographs, and more to the point, seems to have some sort of disease growing all over the front fascia. Oh, that's it's grille and light clusters?

[awrb]

Originally Posted by stedevil

Hehe, indeed, they look quite similar. Though the chevy looks a bit taller, at least on that picture.

Looks like Chevy'll be getting dispensation for having a tall car then.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by awrb

At least the new car looks something, ugly or not, the old one's just boring.

I think that the Chevy really lacks a strong point altogether. SEAT has the tourque of the deisel engine, BMW has the good traction of the RWD, the chevy just seems ok at everything. If they can get something on this new car thats better than the SEAT's and BMW's they can do well.

I actually think the current Lacetti is a very good looking car.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Matt

I actually think the current Lacetti is a very good looking car.

I agree