WTCC - Round 1 Monza Italy 23-24 March 2013

[FIRE]

Lap distance : 5793 m
Race distance : 2 x 10 laps
Qualifying :
1:57.915 / 176.73 kph,
Gabriele Tarquini (SEAT León WTCC), 10 Mar 2012
Race :
1:59.000 / 175.25 kph,
Rob Huff (Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T), 11 Mar 2012
Source: www.fiawtcc.com



Entrylist
No – Driver – Nat – Team – Car
1 – Rob Huff – GBR – Münnich Motorsport – SEAT León WTCC
3 – Gabriele Tarquini – ITA – Honda Racing Team JAS – Honda Civic Super 2000 TC
5 – Norbert Michelisz – HUN – Zengõ Motorsport – Honda Civic Super 2000 TC
6 – Franz Engstler* – GER – Liqui Moly Team Engstler – BMW 320 TC
7 – Charles Ng* – HKG – Liqui Moly Team Engstler – BMW 320 TC
9 – Alex MacDowall* – GBR – bamboo-engineering – Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T
10 – James Thompson – GBR – LADA Sport Lukoil – Lada Granta
11 – Aleksei Dudukalo – RUS – LADA Sport Lukoil – Lada Granta
12 – Yvan Muller – FRA – RML – Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T
13 – Jean-Philippe Dayraut* – FRA – ANOME – BMW 320 TC
14 – James Nash* – GBR – bamboo-engineering – Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T
15 – Tom Coronel – NED – ROAL Motorsport – BMW 320 TC
17 – Michel Nykjaer* – DEN – Nika Racing – Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T
18 – Tiago Monteiro – POR – Honda Racing Team JAS – Honda Civic Super 2000 TC
19 – Fernando Monje* – SPN – Campos Racing – SEAT León WTCC
20 – Hugo Valente* – SPN – Campos Racing – SEAT León WTCC
22 – Tom Boardman* – GBR – Special Tuning Racing – SEAT León WTCC
23 – Tom Chilton – GBR – RML – Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T
25 – Mehdi Bennani* – MOR – Proteam Racing – BMW 320 TC
26 – Stefano D’Aste* – ITA – PB Racing – BMW 320 TC
37 – Rene Münnich* – GER – Münnich Motorsport – SEAT León WTCC
38 – Marc Basseng – GER – Münnich Motorsport – SEAT León WTCC
55 – Darryl O’Young* – HKG – ROAL Motorsport – BMW 320 TC
73 – Fredy Barth* – SUI – Wiechers-Sport – BMW 320 TC
74 – Pepe Oriola – SPN – Tuenti Racing Team – SEAT León WTCC
* = Eligible for the Yokohama Independents’ Trophy
Source: www.touringcartimes.com

[Sjoestrem]

Ok it's time to begin, so what will we see in Monza ?
How is your opinion ?

I think it will be a battle between Honda and RML.

[I Rosputnik]

I think either Thompson or Michelisz are the dark horses for this race.

[Sjoestrem]

Yea you never know what Thompson can do on the track but I'm afraid if Lada has a good pace
Michelisz in Honda can even win the race, but everything is dependend on how he feel his new car

[Cesco44]

Monza is a very difficult track to make predictions...

Qualifying will be crucial!
If you're lucky to get the following air of another car you'll be the fastest on the track...

[Andrew Abbott]

No, I feel Yvan Muller will be the ultimate pace setter, especially as the Chevrolet's will be on the same weight as everyone else.

Chilton and Nash may be up there too in competitive machinery.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by AndySpeed

No, I feel Yvan Muller will be the ultimate pace setter, especially as the Chevrolet's will be on the same weight as everyone else.

no they arent.
same as last year the Cruze starts at extra weight for being the winning car. someone else on another touring car site got it wrong

[Secret squirrel]

Muller, chilton and the hondas for me.....although I have a feeling thompson may surprise in the lada!!!

[FIRE]

Surprised nobody is mentioning Huff. Last year Tarquini showed there's still speed in the old Spanish lady.

[pach233]

The Seat engine has been strong and All-Inkl are a good team despite it being their first WTCC race. I would expect Huff to be up there with Tarquini and Muller and maybe Michelisz as well. The Lada is a total unknown but if it's competitve then Thompson should be in the mix as well. Good field, interested in seeing how it plays out.

Hopefully someone will post the races on youtube relatively quickly like last year. Will have to avoid TcT and this sub-section of the forum for a while.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Never thought I'd say it but an excellent line-up for the WTCC this year.

[iceman-1987]

did u considered that for the all weekend there should be rain! Rain can be a crucial element.

[iceman-1987]

do u know if there will be a big screen like in superstars in front of the main grandstand?

[jsmee]

According to Ben Constanduros it'll be dry on Saturday with biblical proportions of rain on Sunday. That should really mix things up!

Not sure how the rain will affect it but it should give Huff more of a chance in a slightly slower car? Rain is a good leveller after all.

As for a dry race/quali/practice, and having seen the WTCC Preview last night, that Lada could well be a dark horse. Thompson seemed pretty convinced that in a straight line the Lada will be really good and testing at Magny Cours for the winter should probably develop that further.

Nykjaer will be up there I reckon, Muller/Tarquini of course, also Coronel. Should be some good racing.

It's pretty unpredictable though, should be a good season.

[Sjoestrem]

Did you noticed the interviev with Thompson in season previev ?
He expect Lada in points and battle in second races so I think he may know that Lada is not able to win at least in first races.

[Andrew Abbott]

Originally Posted by jsmee

According to Ben Constanduros it'll be dry on Saturday with biblical proportions of rain on Sunday. That should really mix things up!

I seriosuly hope not! Perhaps should pack extra waterproofs.

The good thing about Monza is you can move about the paddock quite easily without getting too wet though.

Have we ever had a wet Monza WTC race?

[Craner Curves]

I can imagine the track must get quite greasy with the trees preventing it from drying as quickly as the drivers would like. Rather like Albert Park last weekend.

[Andrew Abbott]

It's not going to be warm either - there was still some snow at today's Iveco media presentation.

[helgi]

It (snow) should suit Lada very well indeed.

[Rubio]

Again Muller on top, but it seems that Honda guys may still improve a lot. And Thompsonb is fast as well (especially in S1), should be in Q2 today!

[iceman-1987]

i didnt see hugo valente on fp1 but he is in the entry list of monza!

so what's happen? problem to his car or mistake in the entry list?

[Cesco44]

Originally Posted by iceman-1987

i didnt see hugo valente on fp1 but he is in the entry list of monza!

so what's happen? problem to his car or mistake in the entry list?

Hugo Valente will take part only from the fourth round of the championship. However his car was registred for all the rounds...

[Sjoestrem]

I'm a little bit disappointed because of the results of second practice, five Chevy's on top I like Chevy's but I hope they won't dominate next season, but we can see also good signs, Thopson good pace and Honda is fast, also good times by Oriola.

[Rubio]

Well, Hondas couldn't use slipstream a lot due to Monteiro's problems so I guess they will improve a lot in qualy but I doubt that will be enough to beat Muller.Especially considering top speed problems as Taqruini said. By the way Bamboo also used slipstream to get these times. Think we just have to wait for the qualy to see the real possibilites of all drivers and cars

[FIRE]

Qualifying live at Eurosport 2 at 14u56.