WTCC 2008 Off-season: News & Rumours

[FIRE]

Dutch website www.autosport.nl had an interview with Marcello Lotti (KSO):

• Wanting less races in Europe to increase mondial status of the championship.
• No race at Zandvoort. Racing and promotion was good but some negative points like parking for visitors.
• Back to Mexico. Circuit still unknown, hoping on Mexico City.
• Maybe switch between Monza and Valencia date because of dissapointing amount of spectators at Spanish race.
• Portugese race at Estoril. In 2009 back to Porto. Only every 2 years a race in the streets of Porto.
• Planning a race in Japan. According rumours there's a 2 year deal with a Japanese promoter. Maybe Suzuka or Motegi (both owned by Honda).
• Increase from 11 to 12 races.

Calendar (speculation of www.autosport.nl):
2 March Curitiba
8 April Mexico City
18 May Monza or Valencia
1 June Pau
15 June Brno
6 July Estoril
27 July Anderstorp
24 August Oschersleben
21 September Brands Hatch
5 Oktober Valencia or Monza
2 November Suzuka or Motegi
16 November Macau

[FIRE]

Eric Nève has confirmed Chevrolet will take part in WTCC next season. General Motors has given him the green light to negotiate with the team [Ray Mallock Ltd] for a new contract for next season. Like the last three seasons Chevrolet will enter the Lacetti. The new model will be launced in 2009. Source: www.autosport.nl

[werner]

Originally Posted by FIRE

• Planning a race in Japan. According rumours there's a 2 year deal with a Japanese promoter. Maybe Suzuka or Motegi (both owned by Honda).

That's interesting...

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by werner

That's interesting...

Probably it means:
a) Honda will official enter WTCC
or
b) WTCC tries to convince Honda to enter WTCC.

I am afraid it's b

About a race in Japan. First see than believe. Last year Lotti said a Japanese manufacturer would enter this season. Except for a private Toyota in Brno I haven't seen a Japanese car.

[Go_For_Pole]

Each year the same story, Lotti says, nothing happens

[redshoes]

The (possible) Japanese race was reported in Autosport a couple of weeks ago. It was said Yoko tyres were pushing for it as part of the deal to extend supply until 2009. Again Suzuka and Motegi were mentioned.

JAS have submitted a proposal to Honda, but then they seem to do that every year.

Mazda are rumoured for a 2009 WTCC entry with the new Mazda 3 due out mid-08. File under the "see/believe" category I think.

[429CJ]

I'd really like to see (Japanese spec) Civic Type-R 4door saloon on the WTCC.

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/04/h...apanese-f1-gp/

[Sodemo]

Its a shame the races aren't longer, today's race around Porto was very exciting (the second one anyway). Yet, it was only penned for 11 laps, would it be too much to ask to have them do say 16 laps?

I really do like the WTCC a lot, though the races are just far too short, a long safety car period and its more or less race over save a couple of laps.

I would love to see them race at Sachsenring instead of Oschersleben.

[werner]

Originally Posted by 429CJ

I'd really like to see (Japanese spec) Civic Type-R 4door saloon on the WTCC.

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/04/h...apanese-f1-gp/

That Honda looks pretty decent. It may be easier to pick up the developments that have been made by BTCC-team Dynamics

[Koulle]

I'm not sure if expanding to 12 races and having more races outside Europe is a very good idea at this stage, the car count has declined significantly from last year.

Dropping Zandvoort would be a stupid move imo, it's a great track and Holland is a big market, if there are problems they should be worked on.

I read in autosport a few months ago that the WTTC are looking to return to Mexico and that Mexico City, Puebla and Monterrey are in the frame. I recently heard though that Monterrey is going to be knocked down, anyone else heard this? Puelba need to sort out the issues with their track if they are to have any chance of coming back.

The Monza and Valencia situation doesn't suprise me, why were they swapped it the first place?

A race in Motegi or Suzuka appears to be a strong rumor right now so I wouldn't dismiss it just yet, especially if Yokohama can be an influence. Mazda would be great but I'm finding it hard to beleive right now, still early days I guess.

[Go_For_Pole]

Can anyone explain me why DTM, A1 or the F3 Masters never had issues with parking etc but WTCC does?! Does that sound believable excuse to anyone?

Also how thrilled would SEAT be with no race in Spain? How could it be that GP2 is happy enough to return to Valencia for a second year while WTCC is not?!

Last but not least, how wise is to reduce European races and at the same time to race in front of almost nobody in Brno?

[Aunt Sally]

As the WTCC is geared around the TV coverage. I doubt very much if they are interested in what sort of crowd they get!

[Go_For_Pole]

Up to a certain degree surely, otherwise they would still race at Turkey.

[Matt]

I wish they would race in the USA....

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by Matt

I wish they would race in the USA....

just out of interest: which track would you suggest?
Mid-Ohio would be nice, I think or Lime Rock. Maybe even Barber, but that's in the middle of NASCAR-land...

[Alex K]

Non sense, they need to sell tickets, they wll not in US, unless will move into 5l+ engines and compete with NASCAR series'. Forget about USA.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

Can anyone explain me why DTM, A1 or the F3 Masters never had issues with parking etc but WTCC does?! Does that sound believable excuse to anyone?

Also how thrilled would SEAT be with no race in Spain? How could it be that GP2 is happy enough to return to Valencia for a second year while WTCC is not?!

I don't know the real reason for dropping Zandvoort but don't forget it was a replacement for the Mexican race. I think they prefer a race outside Europe.

They will race at Valencia but KSO prefers a date in the second half of the season. According Lotti Spanish people go to beach in May.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Alex K

Non sense, they need to sell tickets, they wll not in US, unless will move into 5l+ engines and compete with NASCAR series'. Forget about USA.

You do realize, that there are fans of other forms of motorsport in the USA besides NASCAR, right? WTCC running alongside the Champ Cars at Vegas would be pretty awesome, imo.

@ Speedking, as I just said there, the Vegas street course would be good, but, Lime Rock would definitely be my choice, as that is my home track.

[Go_For_Pole]

Originally Posted by FIRE

According Lotti Spanish people go to beach in May.

Oooooh Mr Lotti you should say this to Mr Mosley, he has scheduled his Spanish race in May for years

[duke_toaster]

With the addition of Mexico, surely they could drop Curtibua as the circuit itself FWIH is a joke and most touring car fans are in Europe. Unfortunatly, there is a regulation that a championship with World in it must feature races in 3 continents.

As the WTCC is geared around the TV coverage. I doubt very much if they are interested in what sort of crowd they get!

Yeah ... TV coverage on some obscure sattelite/cable channel cos it's only shown at the middle of the night on Channel 4 in the form of a 30 mins highlights package per week. They got the rights 2 or 3 weeks ago and showed 2 or three rounds a week or something.

Another thing - why can't they race on shorter tracks? Valencia could be done on the National circuit, running Brands on the GP track is silly when DTM go on the short one with their Prototypes and I hope to god they run the East circuit if they go to Suzuka.

[E46]

[QUOTE=duke_toaster]
Another thing - why can't they race on shorter tracks? Valencia could be done on the National circuit[QUOTE]

It´s Montmeló which has a short variant. But it wouldn´t be a bad idea Montmeló in National configuration.

On the other hand Valencia races were awesome this year. Perhaps a date change does more sense.

[redshoes]

Curtibua needs to remain to partner Mexico. If you are going to the expense of shipping the cars half way around the world then it makes sense to run two races while you are there. Actually it doesn't need to be Curtibua, it just needs to be another South or Central American track. Same logic applies with the proposed Japan round, which dovetails nicely with Macau.

The alternative would be a USA/Canada trip. Somewhere like Lime Rock or Toronto with ALMS or Champ Cars. Nice idea but I suspect unlikely.

Much depends on the desire to retain the 'World' title. The other option would be to follow the GT model, drop the 'World' and become a 'International' series based mostly in Europe but with the odd flyaway race (i.e. Macau). It could still be the FIA Touring Car Championship, but not the FIA World Touring Car Championship. I suspect for a number of reasons that isn't really an atractive prospect.

Originally Posted by duke_toaster

it's only shown at the middle of the night on Channel 4 in the form of a 30 mins highlights package per week. They got the rights 2 or 3 weeks ago and showed 2 or three rounds a week or something.

Did they? Why didn't someone tell me

Another thing - why can't they race on shorter tracks? .. running Brands on the GP track is silly when DTM go on the short one with their Prototypes

Brands Indy can be awful for anything with wings, I'd much rather they stuck to the GP track.

[werner]

@ Go for pole, the reason that the parkingsituation in Zandvoort was bas might have been that the preparationtime was shorter than for the masters and the DTM-events. It's also possible that Lotti just whines about something he should have known, since parking and driving near Zandvoort always is a problem. Not for me though, since the trainstation is 10 minutes away.
The reason that Brno is not attracting to many fans is maybe that the circuit is't suited for S2000-touringcars at all. And some other great series that race there are better suited. (A1GP, MotoGP, FIA GT) WTCC has an even greater disadvantage, since there are no Chechs in the WTCC, as there are in the other series. Well, i've stated my opinion a few times already here, FIA should swap Brno with Budapest for F1 and WTCC.

If a second round in Latin America is needed as Redshoes suggests (and I agree with him) they might go to Buenos Aires. The circuit over there is very well suited for WTCC, and the Argentines obviously like 2l-touringcars, since they have a great 2l-championship of their own, with a lot of importer/manufacturersupport. Maybe organising a WTCC-race is a good way to convince the Argentines to endorse S2000 as well.
However, it would be a shame if Curitiba and/or Puebla are lost. I liked both of the tracks, and the public apparently liked it as well, since they came in quite large numbers. Must have something to do with the participation of Farfus and Jourdain. However they need to do something about the safety of both tracks.

Wow, that's a long post!

[Go_For_Pole]

Originally Posted by werner

@ Go for pole, the reason that the parkingsituation in Zandvoort was bas might have been that the preparationtime was shorter than for the masters and the DTM-events. It's also possible that Lotti just whines about something he should have known, since parking and driving near Zandvoort always is a problem. Not for me though, since the trainstation is 10 minutes away.

Haha, lucky you The thing is even if parking is a big problem (haven't been there unfortunately) everybody puts up since there is a great crowd guaranteed. Now if Lotti does not care about it and wants to race in Brno instead, then I really have to question the direction this series is heading. Like you said Brno although glorious location-wise is definately not suited to small cars, it certainly does not attract the locals unless there is a Czech with a chance of victory and even then we are talking about 20-30k people max.

[werner]

Originally Posted by Go_For_Pole

Oooooh Mr Lotti you should say this to Mr Mosley, he has scheduled his Spanish race in May for years

The low attendance might also have had something to do with Moto GP on the telly. Autoracing has quite a large and growing popularity in Spain, mainly due to a certain mister Alonso, but motorracing is still way more popular.