[WTCC] WTCC 2009: News, Rumours, Entries...

[mattt]

Originally Posted by Ola

Chevrolet - big question mark? Has they actually confirmed they will race their new car, a copy of the old Audi A4, yet in WTCC as a manufacturer programme? The situation with GM does add to the question marks here I would say.

Audi A4 rumour was with SEAT - being the same parent company

[Ola]

Originally Posted by mattt

Audi A4 rumour was with SEAT - being the same parent company

True .... mixed them up. Need more coffee this morning I see.

[FIRE]

Subaru quits WRC...(but thanks to that financial crisis I have no hope they join touring car racing )

[Go_For_Pole]

Guys slightly off topic. Can you please remind me whether a championship can be called World per FIA rules with only two manufacturers involved? I am asking this for the WRC of course and I am asking it here because I remember there was a similar discussion for the WTCC when BMW was doubtful.

[Dead-Eye]

The local paper today said no when they reported Suzuki pulling out of WRC. Not sure how reliable they are though.

[Ola]

Why would number of manufacturers have any bearing on it being called a World Championship?

I don't think it matters for that. But for the series credibility it could have a big meaning of course.

But DTM is doing quite fine with "just" two manufacturers and three is that much more than two and WTCC seems pretty allright too. It has more to do with the set-up of the teams and the number of cars I would say.

For WRC it's looking pretty bleak with only Ford and Citroen left and unlikely they will commit to more teams and cars. Or even commit at all themselves.

I'd say it would be a bit critical if for instance Chevrolet pulls out of WTCC and neither BMW or SEAT adds more cars and independent teams.

[Valenok]

Add to this possible Citroen-2010 out. Is it possible to orginise World Champ WITHOUT manufacturers? Like F1 or FIA GT-2010? Can we see FIA World Touring/RAlly Privateers Championships?

[werner]

I don't see any reason why that shouldn't be possible. But I don't know if it would make economical and commercial sense. In theory I could see a championship around the world for rich gentleman, with the real stars fighting it out in the Britisch, German, Swedisch and Danish series.

*Starts to brainstorm about the future* Why not a World Champioship with 3 or 4 races, 1 Season-opener in South-America, at the track that makes the best offer, 1 or 2 in Europe, or maybe 1 of those 2 in Morocco, and the last race in Macaou. That makes it possible for all the teams to compete in a national championship as well.

[Ola]

There are no manufacturers involved officially in FIA-GT and that is a World Championship.

F1 didn't have any, or sometimes very few, manufacturers as teams for many years without it being in question as a world championship.

[Go_For_Pole]

Originally Posted by Ola

There are no manufacturers involved officially in FIA-GT and that is a World Championship.

Except that it is not, it's just FIA GT

[Ola]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

Except that it is not, it's just FIA GT

I'm pretty sure they have World championship status in FIA GT, will double check at fia.com

[Valenok]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

Except that it is not, it's just FIA GT

Look forward, in 2010 it WILL be World Champ

But if we talk about World Privateers Championship, we need to ban every manufacturer - either two(three) or zero

[Dead-Eye]

I'd have to check, but I believe the rule of three refers to a manufacturers championship. It probably could still be a world championship for drivers.

[Go_For_Pole]

Originally Posted by Valenok

Look forward, in 2010 it WILL be World Champ

You are Mr Ratel then? Gosh, he says that every year...

[helgi]

FIA GT is not a World championship. There're only three World champs: F1 (hmmm...Or GP series?), WTCC and WRC.

[James C.]

It will be in 2010

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by James C.

It will be in 2010

If it's up to Ratel yeah If it's up to the teams it won't.

[E46]

www.sportmotores.es is reporting, quoting Proteam sources, that Sergio Hernández is clearly pushing for official seats. If finally he doesn´t get it, he would have an open door in Proteam.

[Bramzel]

Would mind seeing him replace Gené at Seat. Or perhaps Porteiro at BMW Spain?

[Ellmau]

Originally Posted by E46

www.sportmotores.es is reporting, quoting Proteam sources, that Sergio Hernández is clearly pushing for official seats. If finally he doesn´t get it, he would have an open door in Proteam.

Apparently there are now two vacant seats at Proteam:
http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=3036

[Robbe]

Motorsport Aktuell (print version) speculates that D'Aste might be back at Wiechers.

[E46]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

Would mind seeing him replace Gené at Seat. Or perhaps Porteiro at BMW Spain?

I feel he is going for Porteiro´s seat in ROAL Motorsport.

[FIRE]

BMW drivers for ALMS:
Joey Hand & Bill Auberlen
Tommy Milner & Dirk Muller

So I think we can conclude Andy Priaulx, Jorg Muller and Augusto Farfus will race in WTCC next season.

[SEATFreak]

British works Chevrolet driver Rob Huff has shaken down a Tempus Sport Lacetti with RML on hand to conduct the test before Tempus take delivery of the second Lacetti from RML.

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/btcc...shakedown.html

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by FIRE

BMW drivers for ALMS:
Joey Hand & Bill Auberlen
Tommy Milner & Dirk Muller

So I think we can conclude Andy Priaulx, Jorg Muller and Augusto Farfus will race in WTCC next season.

Not broken, don't need to fix it. Ashame though, the lack of rotation in WTCC teams is making it a little stale. Only SEAT change their line-up often, though that's mostly because they have too many cars in the first place.