TC2000: 2009 Season Topic

[FIRE]

Will there be new manufacturers next season? Earlier this year there were rumors about Citroen with their C4 and FIAT (Punto?).

[THIM]

Ford, although not factory, in BTCC:

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=2967

If Fiat joined, it would be rather Bravo - better aerodynamics. But I can't see it - they have rally project.

[Bramzel]

I think he means this TC2000 Thim http://www.tc2000.com.ar

[werner]

[Pietje precies mode on*] Stricktly speaking the Argentine serie doesn't belong in the WTCC and European touringcarforum. Isn't there a part of this forum made for Sout American racing?
[Pietje precies mode of]

* Fire know's what this means

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by werner

[Pietje precies mode on*] Stricktly speaking the Argentine serie doesn't belong in the WTCC and European touringcarforum. Isn't there a part of this forum made for Sout American racing?
[Pietje precies mode of]

* Fire know's what this means

You are not right:

WTCC & European Touring Car Series
Discussion on the re-born FIA World Touring Car Championship, through to the ever popular British, Swedish, and DTM championships, as well as all other European & American series

Source: http://tentenths.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=45

[touringlegend]

There is so little traffic on American series such as the TC2000 that is why the forum is simply named WTCC & European Touring Car Series - with the expansion below as FIRE has pointed out.

Of course we are always open to new suggestions but please PM us with those, please keep this on topic.

[werner]

[Fernando_S]

There are rumors about the series adopting a single engine (Mazda, tuned by Oreste Berta) in order to cut costs. In the other hand, Esteban Tuero's comeback to the series is going to be with a Peugeot 307 saloon.

More rumors says that the title winning team (Victor Rosso and Leonardo Monti's RAMS) is going to have two privater Honda Civic for Jose Maria Lopez and Juan Manuel Silva (Honda is quitting the series as works team because of the single engine thing) and two works Peugeot 2007.

The works Chevrolet Team is no more run by Pro Racing. It switched to JP Racing.

[10tacle]

thanks a lot for this information! What is about the FIAT Rumour? Will they enter the series?
Any information about how to watch the Series live in Europe? Stream or something to come!?

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by 10tacle

thanks a lot for this information! What is about the FIAT Rumour? Will they enter the series?
Any information about how to watch the Series live in Europe? Stream or something to come!?

There will be a FIAT Linea series in 2009. It's a TC2000 support series. So no FIAT TC2000 entry.

http://www.tc2000.com.ar/noticias_ingles.php?id=230

[Fernando_S]

Originally Posted by 10tacle

thanks a lot for this information! What is about the FIAT Rumour? Will they enter the series?
Any information about how to watch the Series live in Europe? Stream or something to come!?

The rumor indicates that the Fiat team would be run by Pro Racing, the team that run the works Chevrolet teams since 2003, and won 3 championships (one with Cristian Ledesma, and two with Matias Rossi). There is no official word about it, tough.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Fernando_S

There are rumors about the series adopting a single engine (Mazda, tuned by Oreste Berta) in order to cut costs. In the other hand, Esteban Tuero's comeback to the series is going to be with a Peugeot 307 saloon.

More rumors says that the title winning team (Victor Rosso and Leonardo Monti's RAMS) is going to have two privater Honda Civic for Jose Maria Lopez and Juan Manuel Silva (Honda is quitting the series as works team because of the single engine thing) and two works Peugeot 2007.

The works Chevrolet Team is no more run by Pro Racing. It switched to JP Racing.

Why switching to a single make engine? The series looks healthy to me (Full grids and official involvement of Honda, Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota).

Peugeot entry is full factory team?

Thanks for the info.

[Fernando_S]

Altough the official confirmation about switching to the Berta tunned Mazda Engines has not been done, there is several rumors saying it's almost a done deal.

Tuero's 307 is a private, but the ones by Victor Rosso's Team would be works.

The reason for the engine change is that getting a good engine required going to european tunners like Spiess, Sodemo or Neil Brown, wich is too expensive for privaters and even for full factory teams, given the tough situation of the global economy.

As soon as I get any official statements, I''ll post it here.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Fernando_S

The reason for the engine change is that getting a good engine required going to european tunners like Spiess, Sodemo or Neil Brown, wich is too expensive for privaters and even for full factory teams, given the tough situation of the global economy.

I understand but if that means manufacturers leave TC2000 I am not sure that's the way to go.

What's more pupular, TC2000 or TC?

[Matt]

I just have to say, the TC cars sound a LOT better than the TC2000 cars. That Santa Fe street course just looks REAL dangerous, haha.

[Fernando_S]

Originally Posted by Matt

I just have to say, the TC cars sound a LOT better than the TC2000 cars. That Santa Fe street course just looks REAL dangerous, haha.

Maybe, but from a technical point of view, TC is horrible, and I must say that the rules are bent sometimes (at least one can be suspicious quite often), which doesn't happen in TC2000. The TC cars are simply awful.

The Santa Fe road course is too narrow, is almost imposible to overtake, but it has been a total success respect to the people attendance.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Fernando_S

Maybe, but from a technical point of view, TC is horrible, and I must say that the rules are bent sometimes (at least one can be suspicious quite often), which doesn't happen in TC2000. The TC cars are simply awful.

The Santa Fe road course is too narrow, is almost imposible to overtake, but it has been a total success respect to the people attendance.

I don't really care about technology, I just like to see good racing.

[Jacob Black]

TC cars are ugly as sin, slow and old, but entertaining. Every circuit in Argentina is fantastic, my favourite is the circuit in San Juan (in my heart I'm San Juanino even though I'm Australian).

It is a tragedy that TC2000 is changing its format, this series was ranked the fourth best category in the world by the FIA just a couple of years ago.

Stay tuned for a possible article in Auto Action (here in Australia) on the two major series in Argentina.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Jacob Black

TC cars are ugly as sin, slow and old, but entertaining. Every circuit in Argentina is fantastic, my favourite is the circuit in San Juan (in my heart I'm San Juanino even though I'm Australian).

It is a tragedy that TC2000 is changing its format, this series was ranked the fourth best category in the world by the FIA just a couple of years ago.

Stay tuned for a possible article in Auto Action (here in Australia) on the two major series in Argentina.

Since when is 300km/h slow?

[Jacob Black]

Originally Posted by Matt

Since when is 300km/h slow?

actually, you've got me there, in terms of raw power they are faster, and they dont handle too badly either, but I much prefer the TC2000. I've been to races of both categories, one is very American (as in yank) and the other very European. TC2000 is the champagne category, whereas TC is the NASCAR category. (to make a loose analogy)

having said that, Argentines race hard and close, every category in Arg is raced brilliantly and worth following.

[Fernando_S]

A brief news update: Fiat is returning to the series as works team with Pro Racing, with two to four Fiat Linea.

It seems also that the Honda works team remains in the series with three Honda New Civic for Jose Maria Lopez, Juan Manuel Silva y Leonel Pernia.

[FIRE]

So Chevrolet, Ford, Renault, Toyota, Honda, Peugeot and FIAT will be officially involved?

[kmchow]

If theres's still so much manufacturer involvement these past few years, the manufacturers don't seem to mind the costs if they're still racing. Isn't there any other ways they could reduce engine costs? Switching to a one make series should really be a last resort?

[Fernando_S]

Originally Posted by kmchow

If theres's still so much manufacturer involvement these past few years, the manufacturers don't seem to mind the costs if they're still racing. Isn't there any other ways they could reduce engine costs? Switching to a one make series should really be a last resort?

Money, the cost is lower, and there's other ways, but sadly the series decided going with this one.

[Fernando_S]

Originally Posted by FIRE

So Chevrolet, Ford, Renault, Toyota, Honda, Peugeot and FIAT will be officially involved?

Actually, Peugeot is a private effort at least until now. Victor Rosso's team remains with Honda.