WTCC to go to Morocco in 2009

Bramzel · 23 May 2008, 22:04 (Ref:2210070)

I've got to put it in the first-see-then-believe category, but its cool news anyway:

http://touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=2349

I just wonder what the motivation is to go to Marocco? Is it just to add another continent to the calendar? Or is there more behind it?

touring fan01 · 24 May 2008, 00:58 (Ref:2210126)

Money would be the only motivation. Morocco must be paying good money for a round of the series.

But what a really dumb place to go to. How important would Morocco be to the manufacturers or sponsors? Virtually ziltch compared to so many other countries they should be racing in.

stedevil · 24 May 2008, 11:29 (Ref:2210323)

Morocco is a good way to underline the W of WTCC without creating more huge travelling expenses for the teams. The WTCC today is still 66% an ETCC, so it's for sure both a money and a "brand management/validity" thing.

Sodemo · 24 May 2008, 17:40 (Ref:2210641)

An industrial area? Oh jeez, that sounds really upmarket!

Hey, there is a massive warehouse car park near me that is nearly always empty, perhaps they could put a few cones down and race around that instead...?!

duke_toaster · 24 May 2008, 18:43 (Ref:2210685)

I'll put this in the "not going to happen" pile.

werner · 25 May 2008, 09:45 (Ref:2211075)

BTW, Marrakech isn't the capital of Morocco, that's Rabat.

Subaru_WRX_STi · 25 May 2008, 15:16 (Ref:2211418)

Quote:

Originally Posted by stedevil

Morocco is a good way to underline the W of WTCC without creating more huge travelling expenses for the teams. The WTCC today is still 66% an ETCC,

thats true, BTW its time to give "North" Africa a chance in motorsports, still I prefered if Tunisia was in place of Morocco

kmchow · 26 May 2008, 01:33 (Ref:2211868)

Considering NA (Canada and the US) is a major market for BMW, Honda (via Acura), I can't understand why aren't they racing here. I guess it's b/c the Lacetti and Seat aren't sold here is the reason why we aren't seeing them? Maybe we would see the WTCC come to NA when they make the next generation Astra. We're getting the current and soon to be ending production Astra starting this year.

dj4monie · 26 May 2008, 07:36 (Ref:2211956)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmchow

Considering NA (Canada and the US) is a major market for BMW, Honda (via Acura), I can't understand why aren't they racing here. I guess it's b/c the Lacetti and Seat aren't sold here is the reason why we aren't seeing them? Maybe we would see the WTCC come to NA when they make the next generation Astra. We're getting the current and soon to be ending production Astra starting this year.

The "Lacetti" is sold in North America, just not under that name -

Quote:

The Lacetti was available in Canada as the Chevrolet Optra

Quote:

The Lacetti came as Suzuki Forenza and Reno and they went on sale in the United States

Under that SEAT shell is a VW Golf

I know; how could they call it a "World" championship when they aren't in North America?? Mexico doesn't count and is too far for the average fan to attend.

I think they feel they need partner to pull it off and now with Champ Car dead, I think the ALMS might be interested but not too keen on sharing dates with anybody as they want to carve out their own niche.

However, none of the cars in the series are available in the US.

BMW no longer wants to try and sell four cylinder engines here, they learned the aren't too popular with BMW enthusiasts, at least when its not a 2002...

SEAT doesn't sell cars here.

Chevy, well you mean GM doesn't sell "THAT" Chevy here, its a Suzuki! It WAS Daewoo before GM bought them.

The Honda Accord Euro R is sold as the Acura TSX here and raced as the Acura TSX in Speed World Challenge Touring.

But the FIA tends to do that, the F1 and Sportcar World Championships have long been decided without visiting the United States, which is quite funny. But we say NFL World Champs when nobody else plays "American" football, but in Germany and not at our level if was strictly "nationals" playing it, among other sports, so I guess we shouldn't take it too personally, which I don't.

duke_toaster · 26 May 2008, 09:56 (Ref:2212036)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

I know; how could they call it a "World" championship when they aren't in North America?? Mexico doesn't count and is too far for the average fan to attend.

Well, they can't go everywhere. And if you live in that part of Mexico, Puebla isn't that far

. The FIA rules are that a World Championship must have races on 3 continents. WTCC has Europe, North America (Puebla), South America (Curtibua) and Asia. Possibly even a trip to Morocco next year, but I doubt that will happen.

Quote:

However, none of the cars in the series are available in the US.

I think you've answered your own question re. why they aren't going there. Don't sell the cars, the only advantage would be it being in a good TV slot for Europe. Not a justification for a long journey.

Quote:

But the FIA tends to do that, the F1 and Sportcar World Championships have long been decided without visiting the United States, which is quite funny.

Eh? The US got a GP in the early days of the World Championship (and have the Indy 500 count in the first ten, I'd like to know what the person who thought of having a race to a separate set of technical regulations was smoking). And for a considerable few years had two GPs. There's no World Sportscar Championship anymore.

Valenok · 26 May 2008, 10:42 (Ref:2212059)

Why Marocco? Not Russia, China or India? I think, Marocco watch for Dacar's succesor - they haven't Dacar's money and they want WTCC money.

awrb · 26 May 2008, 13:08 (Ref:2212172)

Is the WTCC even shown on tv in Marocco? Or are they just hoping Maroccans will turn up to this championship they've never heard of anyway.

I think championships need to go where the fans are, rather than doing what F1 has done and gone to places like Malaysia and Bahrain, even thoug there is very little interest in these places.

There's no point in taking the championship away from the fans!

**FIRE** · 26 May 2008, 15:20 (Ref:2212269)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmchow

Considering NA (Canada and the US) is a major market for BMW, Honda (via Acura), I can't understand why aren't they racing here. I guess it's b/c the Lacetti and Seat aren't sold here is the reason why we aren't seeing them? Maybe we would see the WTCC come to NA when they make the next generation Astra. We're getting the current and soon to be ending production Astra starting this year.

Acura is official involved in SCCA and Bimmerworld enters 2 or 3 BMWs in SCCA. Next season BMW will enter ALMS with a M3.

Lam Pak · 27 May 2008, 14:16 (Ref:2213078)

asia makes more sense than africa but moroco can attract afrikan and french drivers if they are.

Dead-Eye · 28 May 2008, 23:01 (Ref:2214279)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

But the FIA tends to do that, the F1 and Sportcar World Championships have long been decided without visiting the United States, which is quite funny.

Trying to race in markets the manufacturers didn't care about is one of the things that killed ITC.

Bramzel · 29 May 2008, 07:41 (Ref:2214434)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

I know; how could they call it a "World" championship when they aren't in North America?? Mexico doesn't count and is too far for the average fan to attend.

With all due respect, but Mexico does count. And there would be more championships visiting the US if there would be more people who cared. But unfortunately for people like you most don't care at all

JMeissner · 29 May 2008, 08:24 (Ref:2214453)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

I know; how could they call it a "World" championship when they aren't in North America?? Mexico doesn't count and is too far for the average fan to attend.

Comes from the land with the most national world challenges in the world

SEATFreak · 8 Jun 2008, 07:56 (Ref:2222333)

I suppport any new nation on the calendar but I don't agree with the part that says it could mean the start of 2009 in Curitiba could happen as early as February.

How many people would support a February WTCC start date?

**FIRE** · 8 Jun 2008, 08:57 (Ref:2222352)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SEATFreak

How many people would support a February WTCC start date?

I have no problems with it but I can imagine teams don't like it.

werner · 8 Jun 2008, 10:07 (Ref:2222395)

I would love that, the winter is always way to long for me.

Matt · 19 Jan 2009, 00:16 (Ref:2374143)

WTCC could come to America now, the Cruze will be sold as a Chevrolet here as well. :P

Here's the layout, I'm having an INCREDIBLY difficult time trying to find the roads on Google Maps though.
http://www.touringcartimes.com/news/wtcc08112102.jpg

Valker · 19 Jan 2009, 07:36 (Ref:2374238)

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=3...68665&t=k&z=15

Matt · 19 Jan 2009, 07:43 (Ref:2374239)

Well, that's a very good reason why I didn't find it, haha. I was looking in the actual city!

Subaru_WRX_STi · 26 Jan 2009, 05:18 (Ref:2379357)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

WTCC could come to America now, the Cruze will be sold as a Chevrolet here as well. :P

Here's the layout, I'm having an INCREDIBLY difficult time trying to find the roads on Google Maps though.
http://www.touringcartimes.com/news/wtcc08112102.jpg

but lets be honest who care about WTCC in America ? only Nascar and oval racing matter there, and on what track should the series run ?

Matt · 26 Jan 2009, 06:07 (Ref:2379364)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subaru_WRX_STi

but lets be honest who care about WTCC in America ? only Nascar and oval racing matter there, and on what track should the series run ?

The ignorance in that post is astounding.

As for a Track, from my PoV, I'd love for them to hit up Lime Rock Park, as it's the closest, and would actually allow roughly a 20 lap race.

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