Its all go go go for new ETCC rules

[JMeissner]

All green for new ETCC regs
ETCC 03/10/01

The FIA gave the final green light for the new ETCC rules that will be introduced for the 2002 season. The name of the rules is "Super 2000". The demands from FIA to give the rules green light was that at least 18 cars would be on the grid. It looked bad for a while as BMW pulled out very unexpected. But now has Nissan stepped in. Nissan is the third make together with Volvo and Alfa Romeo.

The three manufacturers will decide what parts they will use as common parts to reduce costs. Super 2000 will be run together with Super Production, but only cars from Super 2000 can win the ETCC title. Both Alfa Romeo and Volvo are believed to already have finished prototypes of the new cars while it is still uncertain if Nissan will build and racecars officially of if they will only provide customers with a homologated car.

Alfa Romeo has said that they will build six or eight cars and that they will run at least two or three of them officially. Alfa Romeo will, according to our sources, use the new Alfa Romeo 156 GTA model. Volvo will use the S60-model. Prodrive, who won the BTCC 2000 with Ford (that owns Volvo, will tune the Volvo's. They have reported that there has been a great deal of interest from private teams to run cars in from Volvo in the ETCC next year.

How many Volvo will run is not decided yet. "The rules are very similar to the BTCC but without their common parts, because that is (BTCC organiser) TOCA's business. It was important that we get these rules running next year, because if all we did was talk, talk, talk, that would have been no good. OK, we only have three manufacturers involved but I think it's possible that we will have more in the future," said Alfa Touring Car boss Mauro Sipsz to Autosport.

Although BMW has officially said that they won't compete BMW Italy is expected to upgrade their Super Production spec. cars to the new rules according to Autosport. Other makes than Alfa, Volvo, Nissan and BMW that has been mentioned to join is both (!) SEAT and Volkswagen. They have said that if the rules will become successful they will join. The calendar for 2002 has been released and here it is:


April 21 Monza (IT)
May 5 Silverstone (UK)
May 19 ? (UK)
June 2 Brno (CZ) or Zoler (BEL)
June 30 Anderstorp (SWE)
August 4 Spa (BEL)
September 8 Nürburgring (GER)
September 22 Estoril (POR) or ? (ITA)
October 20 Magny-Cours (FRA)

Johan Meissner
johan@touringcartimes.com

[MaxSport]

Thanks, Johan!
Things are looking up again for the ETCC. I must say that I had some question about things over the last few weeks.

Right now I am enthused about the fact that Alfa, Volvo and Nissan will build cars to be run by private teams. If they allow these teams to go to sponsors and say "we are a factory backed Alfa team", it can help to get "in the door" with potential backers.

Guess it's time to get back to some of those sponsors who expressed interest in ETCC!

Kurt Maxwell
MaxSport
Indianapolis,IN

[gomick]

sorry people, but why has honda opted to pull out when thery have a chance of wearing #1 on there car in 2002....what will tarquini do next year

[jc_nl]

Are you sure about those race dates???

This is what autosport.com says:

CIRCUIT (COUNTRY), DATE
Monza (Italy), April 21
Silverstone (UK), May 5
TBA (Spain), May 19
Brno (CZ) or Zolder (Belgium) or Lausitz (Germany), June 2
Anderstorp (Sweden), June 30
Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), August 4
Zandvoort (Holland), September 8
Nurburgring (Germany), September 22
TBA (Italy) or Estoril (Portugal), October 6
Magny-Cours (France), October 20

If these dates are correct i will have to miss the round in Zandvoort

Then again I probably will be able to go to Bathurts