[WTCC] 2015 WTCC Race of Thailand

[Rubio]

Preview:
http://www.fiawtcc.com/race-preview-...ight-as-lopez/

Track facts:
http://www.fiawtcc.com/event/race-of-thailand-2015/

First twilight race in WTCC history. Qualifying will be on Sunday too, initial plan of a 3 day event was scrapped and changed to a 2-day one.

A wide track with lots of overtaking spots. Citroen should do well here, but watch out for Lada, they were planning to introduce updates from the summer testing for this event.

[Juntos]

Citroen 1, 2, 3, and 4... In life, the monsters win.

[Rubio]

Well, actually it is a Citroen 1-2-3-4-5, but damn it, the field was very close. Valente in P6 lost just 0,056 seconds to Bennani in Q2.

[tux]

This ruleset is painful.

[skells22]

hopefully next year start the races a hour earlier to avoid red flagging the race due to being too dark.

[tux]

Even when a non Citroen wins, you dont actually win.....

[Mies7337]

Everything is wrong with the WTCC since the new rules and Citroen arrived. Races haven't been exciting, the chances of a surprise win isn't there. Unfortunately for the WTCC, the future is the TCR series. I surely hope they realize they need to rethink the series.

[Rubio]

IMO, the main problem of the championship is the lack of cars and competition. What excitement would you expect from a race where 10 cars are left, and the top 4 of them are Citroens? When Citrones are among the field and don't run in team formation the racing is good (Moscow, Motegi, actually Race 2 in Buriram was very good too). With addition of Volvo it should be better. They need to attract more indies

BUT that doesn't compensate poor organization, awful TV coverage, awful live timing and the absence of TV graphics during the races in 21st century.

[Mies7337]

I completely agree with you on the fact that the main problem is the lack of cars and competition, but that's all thanks to the fact that the series wanted bigger and faster cars. This way, the cars are way too expensive, too few manufacturers want to spend money on developing a car for the WTCC, because the cars have nothing in common with the road cars, so developing a car is way to expensive. And the cars are way too fragile (especially the front suspention), so evey contact means a DNF, so you can't race the cars. And the poor organisation is the cherry on the cake, this is not a FIA worthy championship and it won't last forever if it continues like this.

[Rubio]

Originally Posted by Mies7337

And the cars are way too fragile (especially the front suspention), so evey contact means a DNF, so you can't race the cars.

I've got one thought - this might not be a problem of TC1 regulations but rather a problem of time. Citroen built a strong car. They had time (quite a lot), while Honda, Lada, RML didn't really have it to work on the strength of their cars. But then, again, it's the result of late implementation of TC1 rules in 2013 and the problem of short mid-season periods of testing

[Mark0994]

Originally Posted by Mies7337

This way, the cars are way too expensive, too few manufacturers want to spend money on developing a car for the WTCC, because the cars have nothing in common with the road cars, so developing a car is way to expensive.

Dusan Borkovic said on one interview here in Serbian that only shell without engine cost 500.000 Euros. You can buy 5 or 6 TCR cars for that money...

[Mies7337]

Originally Posted by Mark0994

Dusan Borkovic said on one interview here in Serbian that only shell without engine cost 500.000 Euros. You can buy 5 or 6 TCR cars for that money...

Yes, that's kind of my point. The TCR (and the BTCC for a Brit) is a way better alternative for a touring car series than the WTCC. To me, there is no future for the WTCC, unfortunately.

[Rubio]

Originally Posted by Mies7337

Yes, that's kind of my point. The TCR (and the BTCC for a Brit) is a way better alternative for a touring car series than the WTCC. To me, there is no future for the WTCC, unfortunately.

Yet again, WTCC and TCR target different audience in terms of competitors, you shouldn't compare them. WTCC targets manufacturers, TCR targets indies. First (manufacturers) raise the sporting level of the championship and increase media interest, second (privateers) make bigger grids and closer racing.

The question of course is there, what is WTCC going to do when/if makes decide to pull the plug - the series might be in big danger then unless something is done to attract indies (like giving more coverage and value to Yokohama trophy).

[FIRE]

So in 2 weeks time we have a night race in Qatar...why did they red flag the race due to darkness in Thailand?

[pimmy]

Probably to satisfy the ego of the Qataris. Can't have another country stealing their thunder by having the first night race.

[Metzo]

Originally Posted by FIRE

So in 2 weeks time we have a night race in Qatar...why did they red flag the race due to darkness in Thailand?

it looked to me like that there weren't enough floodlights on in some parts of the track, but the conditions looked like it was still possible to race.

but hey, it's a fia decision so it doesn't have to make sense.

[Rubio]

There were not enough floodlights to cover the run-off areas and marshal posts. Plus Floodlights themselves aren't as strong as in Losail, Sakhir etc. Ok, it looked silly but still safety reasons were behind it.

[peetleouf]

Because of the FIA : Race of Thailand was considered as a DAY Race with a minimum light necessary.