[WTCC] 2014 WTCC speculation, rumours and news

[Spanner monkey]

So now Citroen have confirmed 2014 WTCC with Sebastian Loeb as 1 of the drivers, How long before Renault/RML along with Muller are confirmed as for next year

[iceman-1987]

hope as before as possible even if im still a bit sceptic about renault in wtcc.

anyway if really renault should enter i guess they will develop the megan specially considering that they already use that car in the megan trophy!! i also would like to see entering in wtcc the oregon team after dominated the megan trophy!

about other rumors i read that lada would like to give their cars to a second team as did honda this year so next year lada could increase their cars, the same thing could make honda to get more chance for the wtcc title and finally there is still the question about FORD program! if holland should convince ford in this year they could decide to develop the new car moreover i wonder what will happen to max chilton at the end of this season in f1!! what if he should not be confirmed from marussia?? could be back arena team?

[Rubio]

http://motor.ru/news/2013/06/25/kubicacitrowtcc/

Judging from the article, Kubica might get a chance (but only if there will be more than 2 cars as Citroen needs a driver with experience in WTCC) and there probably won't be any customer cars in th WTCC, so from my point of view it's likely to see a 3 car assault as a 2 car one will hinder the Manufacturers Trophy chances. Would like to see that as it opens the door for Kubica. But other manufacturers will have to put 3 car teams too. Would like to see Michelisz added to the factory Honda team.

[Racing Harz]

Citroen is the best thing that can happen for the WTCC. I'm curious who is the second driver on the side of Loeb. Maybe Menu or Kubica?

[I Rosputnik]

Originally Posted by Rubio

http://motor.ru/news/2013/06/25/kubicacitrowtcc/

Judging from the article, Kubica might get a chance (but only if there will be more than 2 cars as Citroen needs a driver with experience in WTCC) and there probably won't be any customer cars in th WTCC, so from my point of view it's likely to see a 3 car assault as a 2 car one will hinder the Manufacturers Trophy chances. Would like to see that as it opens the door for Kubica. But other manufacturers will have to put 3 car teams too. Would like to see Michelisz added to the factory Honda team.

I hope Citroën and Lada as well has a customer team in a future season. With BMW not developing a new car for customers and SEAT looking unlikely to enter at all, a mix of Honda, Lada and Citroën customer cars should help the privateers continue in the championship.

On the other hand getting Kubica in the championship would be a massive coup for the WTCC.

[iceman-1987]

if i remind well menu was contacted by an indipendent team at the begin of the year but he declined the offers.
maybe he did because he was pretty sure to come back with citroen in 2014 and honestly i think that citroen would make the right choise with menu because the swiss is still competitive and he is really good to develop the car moreover he could help loeb at the begin.

fore sure loeb and also kubica could help to increase audience for wtcc but imho i would like to see again GIOVANARDI and also MORBIDELLI that now are in superstars.

[iceman-1987]

at the begin of the years i read somewhere on the net that honda would have not any problem to field 5 cars for the begin of the wtcc so my wish is that for the new year they will be able to field more than the actual 3 cars.

[Bramzel]

I hope they'll leave Menu to retire in his Porsche, WTCC in its current state without his whining and grumpyness is quite pleasant. There are plenty of other drivers who'd do a better job!

[NaBUru38]

Great news!

I wonder if the model will be the new C4 Sedan:

[Bramzel]

Citroën will most likely want to market their DS models. So I would assume they will use the DS4.

[iceman-1987]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

I hope they'll leave Menu to retire in his Porsche, WTCC in its current state without his whining and grumpyness is quite pleasant. There are plenty of other drivers who'd do a better job!

menu would have won the title last year if muller didnt push him off in china!!

moreover if there such a low drivers like coronel i dont understand why there should not be space for a 2 times (old) btcc champion!

[Robbe]

Menu is not driving in the Porsches anymore by the way, he got replaced by Ragginger.

[iceman-1987]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Great news!

I wonder if the model will be the new C4 Sedan:

that pic is the new c4 L but honestly on italian website i cant find that car! there are just the old C4 and the C4 picasso.

are u sure that this model is sold also in europe?

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by iceman-1987

menu would have won the title last year if muller didnt push him off in china!!

Boohoo. He's an annoying grumpy old man, which is why I'm not sad that he left. We need less Menu's and more Mullers (or Coronels).

[Craner Curves]

Originally Posted by Bramzel

Boohoo. He's an annoying grumpy old man, which is why I'm not sad that he left. We need less Menu's and more Mullers (or Coronels).

I couldn't agree more. He was the same when he was in his 30s, nevermind now he's in his 50s!

The DS4 looks a bit tall and chunky for a racing car. Is there a new C5 planned soon? That seems to be the problem, nobody buys saloon cars that aren't BMW/Audi/Mercedes anymore and they only exist in certain countries where they are still popular.

[Sodemo]

Originally Posted by Craner Curves

I couldn't agree more. He was the same when he was in his 30s, nevermind now he's in his 50s!

The DS4 looks a bit tall and chunky for a racing car. Is there a new C5 planned soon? That seems to be the problem, nobody buys saloon cars that aren't BMW/Audi/Mercedes anymore and they only exist in certain countries where they are still popular.

Yep. The hatchback / bubble cars that seem popular in the UK are pretty scarce in other countries. I went to the US and Canada late last year, and the number of Ford Focus saloons I saw was amazing. Never saw one of the hatchback models, perhaps because they don't sell it over there?

[keviiinn]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Yep. The hatchback / bubble cars that seem popular in the UK are pretty scarce in other countries. I went to the US and Canada late last year, and the number of Ford Focus saloons I saw was amazing. Never saw one of the hatchback models, perhaps because they don't sell it over there?

they do sell the hatchback Focuses here, but for some reason Americans just don't like hatches on smaller cars. they have no problem with a hatch if it's on an SUV or a minivan, but if it's on a small hatchback or a wagon, forget it.

if you think you saw a lot of 4-door Focuses, you should see the 4-door Fiesta. that thing is an abomination. I don't know how anyone could choose that over the 5-door Fiesta. at least 75% of the Fiestas I see are the 4-door.

anyway I don't know how to feel about next season. losing Chevy and BMW, and possibly SEAT, those are going to be some big losses. while it would be interesting to see more aero and faster racing, it shouldn't be at the expense of losing 2 premier manufacturers. I don't know about you guys but I'd rather see BMWs and Chevys than Citroens.

[Rubio]

Personally I would like to see competitive factory machinery and from my point of view losing manufacturers that give no support at all to the series won't do any harm. BMW aren't interested interested in WTCC at all no matter what the rules are.

I think Menu would be good as a test driver to help set the car but he's already 50 so it's hard to say about any long term perspectives. Citroen needs a younger driver either their line-up will be one of the oldest (if Menu does join)

[Jimmy Magnusson]

No way they will use anything other than the DS3. It's the model they will want to market and if it does not fit in the current rules it soon will!

[James C.]

Current spec cars will still be permited next year, not a big surprise.

[iceman-1987]

Originally Posted by James C.

Current spec cars will still be permited next year, not a big surprise.

this should mean that probebaly next year wtcc wont arrive to the 16 cars with the new regulation as lotti expected.

[iceman-1987]

i have a question!
why citroen announce that next year they will partecipate on wtcc with the new car and jaime puig said some weeks ago that seat wont be able to build the new generation car for the next year!

so i guess that citroen engineers must be genious to build a new car in few months or on the other side seat engineers must be completely fool if they wont be ready before 2015.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by iceman-1987

i have a question!
why citroen announce that next year they will partecipate on wtcc with the new car and jaime puig said some weeks ago that seat wont be able to build the new generation car for the next year!

so i guess that citroen engineers must be genious to build a new car in few months or on the other side seat engineers must be completely fool if they wont be ready before 2015.

Probably more to do with finances and/or other resources.

[Rubio]

New rumor is that next year there will be no rolling start. Which makes sense with no competitive BMWs. Plus Q3 is now possible too (with 5 fastest cars).
http://touringcars.ru/

I hope they will add 2-3 additional laps considering faster cars. Otherwise races at Salzburgring, for example, may last only for 15 minutes

[Andrew Abbott]

Originally Posted by Rubio

I hope they will add 2-3 additional laps considering faster cars. Otherwise races at Salzburgring, for example, may last only for 15 minutes

Not just the Slazburgring, but also Monza produces very short races. The three shortest-ever WTCC races lasted just ~18 minutes - all at Salzburgring!

http://www.touringcars.net/results/s...statistics.php