[WTCC] Race 21 & 22 - Macau (MAC), 16/18 November 2007

[E46]

"Pole-position" for Alain Menu and then Yvan Muller and Gabriele Tarquini. The main rival for Muller, Andy Priaulx, was 12th. The question is if Priaulx will get a top-8 in first race. BMWs seemd out of pace.

[AxelF]

3 Seat TDI in the first rows look like, they have bluffed a bit in the testing & practice.
I think, they pushed the overboost a bit...

[FIRE]

Qualifying

POS	NO	CL	DRIVER	NAT	CAR	TIME	LAPS	GAP	KPH
1	8		Alain MENU	SUI	Chevrolet Lacetti	2:31.209	12		145.70
2	12		Yvan MULLER	FRA	SEAT Leon TDI	2:31.395	9	0.186	145.52
3	11		Gabriele TARQUINI	ITA	SEAT Leon TDI	2:31.565	12	0.356	145.36
4	3		Augusto FARFUS	BRA	BMW 320si	2:31.751	13	0.542	145.18
5	7		Nicola LARINI	ITA	Chevrolet Lacetti	2:31.816	12	0.607	145.12
6	9		Jordi GENE	ESP	SEAT Leon TDI	2:31.851	11	0.642	145.09
7	6		Robert HUFF	GBR	Chevrolet Lacetti	2:31.904	11	0.695	145.03
8	15		James THOMPSON	GBR	Alfa Romeo 156	2:32.140	14	0.931	144.81
9	18		Tiago MONTEIRO	POR	SEAT Leon	2:32.411	15	1.202	144.55
10	4		Alessandro ZANARDI	ITA	BMW 320si	2:32.493	14	1.284	144.47
11	5		Felix PORTEIRO	ESP	BMW 320si	2:32.497	12	1.288	144.47
12	1		Andy PRIAULX	GBR	BMW 320si	2:32.685	12	1.476	144.29
13	20		Tom CORONEL	NED	SEAT Leon	2:32.909	13	1.700	144.08
14	88		Rickard RYDELL	SWE	SEAT Leon	2:32.956	11	1.747	144.04
15	2		Jorg MULLER	GER	BMW 320si	2:33.067	13	1.858	143.93
16	25		Duncan HUISMAN	NED	BMW 320si	2:33.163	11	1.954	143.84
17	30	I	Luca RANGONI	ITA	BMW 320si	2:33.278	13	2.069	143.73
18	27		Colin TURKINGTON	GBR	BMW 320si	2:33.764	13	2.555	143.28
19	23	I	Pierre-Yves CORTHALS	BEL	SEAT Leon	2:34.026	7	2.817	143.04
20	14		Fredrik EKBLOM	SWE	BMW 320si	2:34.075	10	2.866	142.99
21	26	I	Stefano D'ASTE	ITA	BMW 320si	2:34.153	12	2.944	142.92
22	43	I	Franz ENGSTLER	GER	BMW 320i	2:34.291	12	3.082	142.79
23	28	I	Carl ROSENBLAD	SWE	BMW 320si	2:35.386	14	4.177	141.78
24	31	I	Sergio HERNANDEZ	ESP	BMW 320si	2:35.883	14	4.674	141.33
25	22	I	Maurizio CERESOLI	ITA	SEAT Leon	2:36.554	13	5.345	140.73
26	33	I	Miguel FREITAS	POR	Alfa Romeo 156	2:37.871	13	6.662	139.55
27	63	I	Henry LEE jr	HKG	BMW 320i	2:39.826	11	8.617	137.85
28	44	I	Andrey ROMANOV	RUS	BMW 320i	2:41.587	14	10.378	136.34
29	46	I	David LOUIE	HKG	BMW 320i	2:45.915	13	14.706	132.79
30	66		Andre COUTO	MAC	Alfa Romeo 156	14:22.645	1	11:51.436	25.54

Great qualifying session
Menu

Not a good day for Priaulx.

[redshoes]

Jourdain was t-boned by Corthals in FP1 damaging the rollcage so he's out for the weekend.

Muller should take an easy podium in race one, especially with Tarquini playing rear gunner, but at what cost. The TDi isn't kind on gearbox or front tyres, especially at somewhere like Macau.

Priaulx needs to get at least 8th in race one and take advantage of the reverse grid. If he can't do that then it's game over.

Then again, this is Macau, we need to factor in the inevitable pile-up.

[THIM]

Originally Posted by redshoes

The TDi isn't kind on gearbox or front tyres, especially at somewhere like Macau.

Originally Posted by Tarquini

The TDI engine is fantastic, in fact, the whole car is fantastic. I am optimistic for the race because tyre wear seems to be good here also

(From fiawtcc.com)

[Ellmau]

Originally Posted by THIM

(From fiawtcc.com)

PR talk

[Koulle]

Should be an interesting race.

[Subaru_WRX_STi]

for Andy it will be hard difficult for him, statrting in 12th position. I really hope that one from Menu or Thommo will win race 1 !

[Hazard]

Jorg's championship chances are almost out.

Priaulx's got a tough fight - Thompson and Farfus are both well placed for points though - it shouldn't be ruled out as a two horse race at all.

[Wilbo]

Priaulx blames BMW's pace over the FWD cars.

Goes back to Flash Nielson's comments "stop playing with the regs!"


IMO it isn't just about FWD having suddenly developed 2s of pace. From that point of view it is hard to benchmark a car in the WTCC when evaluating what to bring into the BTCC for example because the apparent 'advantages' won't be quite applied the same.


Fantastic session by Turkington if you take into account apperent RWD dissadvantage in WTCC, change to H pattern and learning the circuit.

[redshoes]

Turkington hasn't changed to an H-pattern, so he does have a 60kg penalty. WSR didn't find out about the extra 60kg until after the car was shipped so they've had no opportunity to test or work on set-ups. All said, it's a good showing from Turkington.

[Knowlesy]

Priaulx at least has two Beemers ahead of him who should be a bit easier to pass. But it will be tough. Yvan is in pole position. Funny how Seat are less upset about the rules since bringing TDi in.

[AxelF]

I still cannot believe, that no one appeals against the rule "2l turbo against 2l normally aspirated"...

In all other motorsport series, there is a little penalty for turbo engines.

Christian

[jab]

What time do the races start (GMT)?

[PorscheFanNo1]

WSR didn't find out about the extra 60kg until after the car was shipped so they've had no opportunity to test or work on set-ups.

Neither did anyone else.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by PorscheFanNo1

Neither did anyone else.

Who else was there?

Rosenblad and Huisman changed back to H-pattern, which means only Turkington and Louie have the 60kgs.

[Wilbo]

So are you saying the fact that they bought 2 news cars from BMW, have had BMW engineers at events with them (including leading engineer Kurt Boeck), have had no opportunity or forsight within the team to keep up to date with activity/news releases (should employ one of us to keep tabs!), have had no phone call or email from the FIA/WTCC orgonisations, have no support/information from BMW because they wouldn't want Colin or Duncan being faster than Augusto, Jorg or Andy? Or did WSR/Colin decided to stick with the sequential?

Oh and sure BMW haven't got a large number of spare H Pattern boxes with them.

Hmmmm.

[redshoes]

I'm saying that Turkington is still using the sequential but Huisman isn't. Why they chose to do that is a question you'll have to ask WSR.

The extra weight ballast wasn't announced until 8th Nov, after the cars were loaded for shipment. I'm sure had WSR known before then about the change they would have made the necessary arrangements.

Would BMW actually have enough spare gearbox for all their own cars plus some extras just in case someone else needed one, again not knowing in advance about the rule change. The 3 BMW teams are run as separate operations so it may not be a case of having a central supply of spares anyhow. WSR may have had a BMW engineer at some meeting but they've had to pay for the privilege - I'm sure BMW weren't going to give the spare gearboxes away so maybe Colin didn't have the budget.

[Jimmy Magnusson]

Zanardi got his car damaged in warmup, should be fixed for the race. Have to say though that it would be much more interesting if they finished the season off with a 1000km Enduro at Bathurst, just like in 97/98 but now as a part of a championship

[Wilbo]

Originally Posted by redshoes

The extra weight ballast wasn't announced until 8th Nov, after the cars were loaded for shipment

.


Just goes to show what a farce the WTCC has become...


Still enjoy Macau tho all the same..

[Ellmau]

What an incredible idiot that Farfus is. And what an incredible idiot that Eurosport commentator is, saying it was Tarquini's fault.

[pzijko]

Well i agree with the eurosport commentator. Passing there is not really an option without causing an accident. He should have waited till the next corner and take his chance there since farfus was somewhat compromised.

"Worst" thing of all is that Priaulx is so lucky with the whole muller/farfus situation.

[JamesRamone]

Muller should have been penalised for his jump start anyway

[Ellmau]

Ah c'mon. Tarquini was on the inside and Farfus just moved over while Tarquini was already there.

And even if Farfus wasn't punted off and Muller didn't have engine problems, Muller would have received a drive/through or 30 second penalty, so Priaulx would still be leaving the championship.

[Fiorentina 1]

Originally Posted by Ellmau

What an incredible idiot that Farfus is. And what an incredible idiot that Eurosport commentator is, saying it was Tarquini's fault.

Ya, no kidding! I saw that one coming. You knew Tarquini was going to break earlier then Farfus, late apex it and sneak in the inside for the next corner. Classic pass-repass move eventhough Traquini wasn't getting past. Farfus would have racked up a bunch of points by finishing 3rd. Now he's done. Brilliant!