1987 World Touring Car Championship Discussion

[racer69]

Something interesting i found. In the August 1985 edition of "Chequered Flag" magazine it does a story on the proposed WTCC, but indicates an initial launch date for 1986, with this the expected makeup of the calendar (very rough);

-Starts in January/February with three NZ rounds (Bay Park, Pukekohe & Wellington 500)
-Then three of four races in Europe
-Then another three of four races in England
-Then to Australia for Sandown 500, Bathurst 1000 & one other race
- Then finishes off at Macau and then Mt Fuji

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by racer69

Something interesting i found. In the August 1985 edition of "Chequered Flag" magazine it does a story on the proposed WTCC, but indicates an initial launch date for 1986, with this the expected makeup of the calendar (very rough);

-Starts in January/February with three NZ rounds (Bay Park, Pukekohe & Wellington 500)
-Then three of four races in Europe
-Then another three of four races in England
-Then to Australia for Sandown 500, Bathurst 1000 & one other race
- Then finishes off at Macau and then Mt Fuji

Yes i seem to recall the FIA wanted it to kick off in '86 as well but it didn't come together in time. As a halfway house I believe the the ETC was retitled 'FIA Touring Car Championship' dropping the European moniker but keeping the European rounds, with the handful of Asia-Pacific races forming a kind of unofficial series at the end of the year?

[KA]

Originally Posted by racer69

Something interesting i found. In the August 1985 edition of "Chequered Flag" magazine it does a story on the proposed WTCC, but indicates an initial launch date for 1986, with this the expected makeup of the calendar (very rough);

-Starts in January/February with three NZ rounds (Bay Park, Pukekohe & Wellington 500)
-Then three of four races in Europe
-Then another three of four races in England
-Then to Australia for Sandown 500, Bathurst 1000 & one other race
- Then finishes off at Macau and then Mt Fuji

That's interesting, and raises a few questions....I'm there was a similar article on a WTCC proposal in Autosport, possibly late in '85, but I don't recall the details
The rough calendar proposal is raises some questions-there's no specific mention of the Spa 24 hours, (it could be mentioned as one of the 'three or four races in Europe', but I would have assumed Spa to be one of the cornerstones of the series in the same way that Bathurst would be).

The mention of 'three or four races in England' is very interesting- the two British ETC rounds were at opposite ends of the season (Donington in April & the TT in September)- If I'm reading the calendar proposal correctly, it seems to put them in a mid/late-season block before the Australian leg of the tour. I wonder what the other two races would have been- Brands Hatch would be one probable venue, but which other? I'm tempted to suggest the Birmingham street circuit as a double-header with the F3000...

I'm intrigued by the mention of Macau- traditionally the Guia race has always been a sprint race distance, rather than an ETC/WTCC-style 3-hour plus enduro- Could they have been looking at a mix of sprint and endurance races for the WTCC?


...and as Chunterer said, I definitely remember the ETCC being rebranded as the Touring Car Championship for '86 as well

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by KA

The mention of 'three or four races in England' is very interesting- the two British ETC rounds were at opposite ends of the season (Donington in April & the TT in September)- If I'm reading the calendar proposal correctly, it seems to put them in a mid/late-season block before the Australian leg of the tour. I wonder what the other two races would have been- Brands Hatch would be one probable venue, but which other? I'm tempted to suggest the Birmingham street circuit as a double-header with the F3000...

I'm intrigued by the mention of Macau- traditionally the Guia race has always been a sprint race distance, rather than an ETC/WTCC-style 3-hour plus enduro- Could they have been looking at a mix of sprint and endurance races for the WTCC?

Very good questions. At the time the venues you mention; Brands and B'ham were the only other possibles that would have been suitable I reckon?

B'ham raises another avenue in a way, in that later in the events life there were serious rumours that the organisers fancied replacing F3000 with another major international series. It was assumed that WS-PC or even CART were the serie in question, but the planned WTCC could have been another big option.

The Macau point is also well raised KA - the last year of ETC in '88 featured a a couple of split race rounds, so rather than the traditional single 3-4 hours enduro's at each round there were two 1 or 2 hours 'sprints' instead.

Maybe this sort of format was considered much earlier than that for certain rounds based on the '85 story proposals?

[racer69]

Bumping this one up, did the 1987 Spa 24hrs count for double points in the WTCC (like it did in the 1988 ETC)?

[Jesper OH]

No. Just as with the other 24 hour race on the World calender Spa-Francorchamps counted for the usual max 20+20 points.

Jesper

[Graham Clayton]

Originally Posted by racer69

i've never seen any footage of the Mt Fuji finale though.

racer69,

Japanese TV coverage of the Mt Fuji race:

http://youtu.be/VEqYuZp4bBQ

[racer69]

Channel 7 in Australia have been selling on DVD via licence alot of their telecasts over the past few years, and in the latest batch included is the entire Calder 500 WTCC event.

The release of the whole race puts, at least for me, a new spin on the entire championship battle.

I'd only previously seen the edited highlights of the race, but the full telecast shows that the #7 Texaco Sierra of Ludwig/Neidzweidz develops gearbox problems within the first 45mins of the race and starts dropping down the order, with Ludwig at the wheel.

The commentators summise that Neidzweidz will likely be switched into the Soper #6 at the first pitstop as that car was now dominating the race, but when this is put to Neidzweidz in an interview shortly after, Neidzweidz says that Ford wanted to win the title with both Klaus' , not one, so switching cars was not possible.

The #7 car eventually went on to struggle to 10th and score 23pts, while the #6 Soper/Dieudonne car cruised to an easy win and banked 40pts... Ludwig & Neidzweidz lost the title to Ravaglia by 1pt.

That decision cost Neidzweidz the title irrespective of the Bathurst disqualification

Originally Posted by Graham Clayton

racer69,

Japanese TV coverage of the Mt Fuji race:

http://youtu.be/VEqYuZp4bBQ

Cheers Graham Fabulous stuff

[lemansfan]

Last Weekend @ Spa Francorchamps . Very nice Replica

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by lemansfan

Last Weekend @ Spa Francorchamps . Very nice Replica

Until I saw the word 'replica' I was thinking "A right-hand-drive Eggenberger car? That's not right!"

[Super100MPH]

Here's three Channel 7 stories on the '87 WTCC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xcU_WJ1ZQ4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rGDPUoVwdI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkRTeLgNV28

[racer69]

Originally Posted by Super100MPH

Here's three Channel 7 stories on the '87 WTCC

Fantastic viewing, thanks for putting them up

[chunterer]

Yes, great stuff. I'll have to get into those tomorrow!

[darren2012]

Only Silverstone (BBC OB) and Bathurst was shown on UK TV as BBC Highlights