[WTCC] 2010 Facts, rumours and speculation...

[Icebaby]

The WTCC has been dissapointing over the last few years, although not connected it seemed to drop when Alfa pulled out, the marque was as important to WTCC as Ferrari is to F1 IMO, a dreadful shame to see them go.

With Alan Gow moving quickly with rules likely to attract cheap racing in the high profile series of the BTCC and increased attendances and viewers, manufacturers may well start to look at such a platform to go to as apposed to WTCC.

We could well see the same revivial that the BTCC had in the 90's with manufacturers going here which will then be viewed across Europe to brodern the appeal. The best tin top racing is proberbly V8 and Ute racing from Australia at present.

[GroupOfOne]

Originally Posted by Icebaby

With Alan Gow moving quickly with rules likely to attract cheap racing in the high profile series of the BTCC and increased attendances and viewers, manufacturers may well start to look at such a platform to go to as apposed to WTCC.

We could well see the same revivial that the BTCC had in the 90's with manufacturers going here which will then be viewed across Europe to brodern the appeal

Am sure BMW will be rushing to join the BTCC with the current vendetta against anything other than FWD machinery

Also will any manufacturers be attracted by NGTC rules, if those rules are only applied in Britain? The alternative is manufacturers go down S1600, or whatever the FIA finally settle on, lines and have a machine that can be used in countless countries rather than just the UK. Think the BTCC would need to sort out it's TV rights abroad before any manufacturers see it as the centrepiece of their European activity.

I might be pessimistic, but at the moment I can't see any manufacturers rushing to join any touring car series as 'works' entities, not in the current financial climate anyway.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Icebaby

[WTCC] seemed to drop when Alfa pulled out, the marque was as important to WTCC as Ferrari is to F1 IMO, a dreadful shame to see them go.

Alfa will hopefully return in 2011 with the replacement for the 147.

Originally Posted by Icebaby

We could well see the same revivial that the BTCC had in the 90's with manufacturers going here which will then be viewed across Europe to brodern the appeal.

Not with a British-only calendar. That's the key of the DTM being so popular outside Germany.

Originally Posted by Icebaby

The best tin top racing is proberbly V8 and Ute racing from Australia at present.

At a lower scale, the same could be said about Argentina's 3.5 major series. Here in Uruguay, the regular US$40/mo cable television offers all of them live every Sunday. They are increasingly gaining interest from other Latin American countries, including Mexico and Brazil.

[Stefvh]

DTM is popular outside Germany??

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Stefvh

DTM is popular outside Germany??

I can only get DTM highlights with weeks or months of delay, and have only visited Europe 10 years ago, but I understand that the DTM is more popular than BTCC outside both countries. The circuits they visit must be one of the causes.

[helgi]

As for Russia, I'm sure, DTM is more popular than BTCC. DTM is shown since 2002, and since 2004 live on a usual non-cable or satelite channel. BTCC appered only thus year, and dissapeared - 7TV has shown some reviews, but soon changed its broadcasting policy. Of course, it's not about the quality of racing. Just popularity.

As for WTCC, they say AutoVAZ has announced their plans to stop finance help of Lada Sport team. So, in case mr.Shapovalov can not find budget for the next year, there will be no Lada team in 2010.

[Stefvh]

Here in belgium, in the middle of the 2 hosting countries.

We have juste nothing on free TV.

[Hazard]

No longer a rumour, now a fact of course - Chevrolet have signed Yvan Muller to replace Nicola Larini.

Back to GM it is then.

http://www.chevroletwtcc.com/?#uk/news/1892

[Stefvh]

Who is already in for 2010 ?

Chevrolet is full, wit 3 cars ?
What about the others ?

[FIRE]

Muller instead of Larini. Good move for Chevrolet.

[Icebaby]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Muller instead of Larini. Good move for Chevrolet.

I would proberbly go further than this and drop Menu who is too inconsistant to put a championship together it seems at present, I would bring James Thompson, Jason Plato and Giovarnardi in with Huff for the dream team.

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by Stefvh

Who is already in for 2010 ?

Chevrolet is full, wit 3 cars ?
What about the others ?

Confirmed? No one but Chevrolet.

Lada not expected to return due to money problems -Russian Bears may still run them independently of course.

BMW and SEAT have indicated they're likely to reduce their programmes, probably to be 'Chevrolet sized' in terms of 3 car instead of 5 car teams.

That could involve either ROAL not being supported anymore, or dropping RBM and moving Priaulx into Schnitzer.

With SEAT, they've already confirmed ORECA, who ran Monteiro and Muller won't be involved with SEAT next year, so presumably SEAT are down to three cars at most - though a complete withdrawal hasn't been ruled out. Jobs are going at the factory in Spain after all.

So with all that in mind, I'd put money on Yvan Muller for next year at the moment

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by Icebaby

I would proberbly go further than this and drop Menu who is too inconsistant to put a championship together it seems at present, I would bring James Thompson, Jason Plato and Giovarnardi in with Huff for the dream team.

Your dream team requires a lot of money! And ego overload - I'd not only end up paying the drivers too much, but shelving out too much to repair all the cars I'd have destroyed by my own drivers slamming into each other!

Muller, Gio & Huff would be enough.

[GroupOfOne]

Originally Posted by Icebaby

I would proberbly go further than this and drop Menu who is too inconsistant to put a championship together it seems at present.

They've confirmed it's Muller/Menu/Huff for 2010, or at least Muller joins those two in next year's line up, so doesn't look like you're going to get your wish.

Looks a damn strong three car line up to me.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by GroupOfOne

They've confirmed it's Muller/Menu/Huff for 2010, or at least Muller joins those two in next year's line up, so doesn't look like you're going to get your wish.

Looks a damn strong three car line up to me.

Yep. It will be like using a "tank to crack an egg", if Seat pull out alltogether and BMW reduce down to just a couple of works cars (as is very strongly rumoured in Macao).

[Speed-King]

That could involve either ROAL not being supported anymore, or dropping RBM and moving Priaulx into Schnitzer.

Or moving Schnitzer to sportscars, as has been rumored recently.
Depending on which rumors you believe, BMW are looking at running the FIA GT2-series, VLN + 24hours Nürburgring or a second team in ALMS, possible coupled with an LMS-campaign.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

It should be viable for private sponsors though not just auto makers...

The "world championship for touring cars" should be a drawcard for richly backed Mobil, Castrol, Jim Beam, Vodafone, Santander, Emirates, Ethihad, Kingfisher, Pepsi, Dupont etc squads with massive profile very similar to F1 if it was run properly.......

In agreeance, a successful touring car formula needs to be affordable to the privateer/independantly sponsored team/driver, and it needs to allow them to be competitive.

Official manufacturer backing should be a welcome addition to a set of regulations, not crucial to its survival.

[RickP:Clio51]

So assuming SEAT stay in with 3 cars, we thinking Tarquini, Montiero and Gene?

And how many turbo diesel chassis were they running by the end of the year? 5?

[poulsonabean]

Originally Posted by RickP:Clio51

So assuming SEAT stay in with 3 cars, we thinking Tarquini, Montiero and Gene?

And how many turbo diesel chassis were they running by the end of the year? 5?

As Montiero was being run by Oreca, its more likely to be Tarquini, Gene, and if they have a 3rd car, it would be Rydell. Might just have 2 cars though.

[medius]

Tarquini says on Autosport today that he's taking a month or so to decide his future. Sounds to me like SEAT haven't mentioned a contract being there for next season, and with Muller moving on, and Rydell saying earlier this month that he didn't know SEATs plan for 2010, I'd stick a cheeky bet on there being no SEAT works team next year.

[RickP:Clio51]

No SEATS would leave us what? I'm guessing 4 BMW's including Priaulx and Muller in one team and Zanardi + Farfus in another and 3 Chevy's?

Little bit threadbare... but hey, get enough privateers out there and it'll still be exciting racing!

Can't really see SEAT pulling all the cars though... think we'll still see 3 but your right, evidence would support a cheeky bet to the contrary.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by racer69

In agreeance, a successful touring car formula needs to be affordable to the privateer/independantly sponsored team/driver, and it needs to allow them to be competitive.

Official manufacturer backing should be a welcome addition to a set of regulations, not crucial to its survival.

That's what Ratel believes when he doesn't want works teams in his World GT1 and European GT2 and GT3 championships. Each car brand will compete officially in three championships at most, so each major series will have in the long term about two to four manufacturers:

F1 - Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Renault
WRC - Citroën, Ford, possibly Abarth and Volkswagen
WTCC - BMW, Chevrolet, Seat
Le Mans - Audi, Peugeot, possibly Toyota

[racer69]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

That's what Ratel believes when he doesn't want works teams in his World GT1 and European GT2 and GT3 championships.

I don't think banning works teams is the right thing to do either, i just think rules should be written so as they are not essential to the survival of a class.

[stedevil]

IIRC in FIA regs for a championship to call itself a WORLD championship it requires at least 4 manufacturers. So if both Lada and Seat drops out... where does that leave us? Especially 1 year before new regulations are released.

[werner]

They can pull the same trick as they did with N-tech's Alfa and Honda efforts in the last years. They were nothing more than independant teams, but they still were counted as worksteams.