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#1 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 869
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2024 TCR World Tour (former WTCR)
Very interesting news regarding the 2024 calendar:
https://wwos.nine.com.au/motorsport/...2-127c7fa5da04 Mid-Ohio would be cool, although, I'm not sure regarding the event format, how will it work. IMSA has endurance races (and on Michelin tyres if I'm not mistaken). Marrakech is a crap addition, wonder which series will join. Will it be TCR Europe or they create some sort of a TCR Africa trophy etc. ALso interesting regarding new manufacturers. Anyway, hopefully there will be a growth from the current 9 full-season entries |
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#2 | |
Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 3,437
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Just one European round!!
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#3 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,981
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Quote:
In theory they could run separate sprint races for World Tour with guest entries for the locals, rather than use usual local series with WT cars as guests, but I can't see many IMSA teams wanting to enter. |
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#4 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 884
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Yeah, if they go to the US the format would probably be the same as Vallelunga this year.
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__________________
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#5 | |
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,876
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But how will the grid look?
No longer support from Audi Sport so will Comtoyou return? I doubt it. Based on this season with only Lynk & Co (4 cars), Hyundai (2 cars) and Honda (1 car) the gird is very small. Except for Toyota I don't see any new manufacturers. Cupra has stated they will only support customer racing. Factory support only in all-electric series. With more races outside Europe costs will rise again. |
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#6 | |||
Racer
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 176
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Quote:
Not sure why there going back to Marrakech Doesn’t look likely there will be a TCR Europe next year with only one European race on the calendar Apart from Toyota I don’t see anybody else coming in I am big touring fan and I like the TCR series but I think the TCR world concept isn’t the right way to go about it tbh |
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#7 | ||
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,876
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Quote:
Marrakech is also a mystery for me. I find it hard to believe TCR Spain will race there. Earlier this year Tom Coronel said some drivers didn't race in TCR Europe this season because of TCR World, being afraid to race at the back of the grid. Don't know if there is much truth in this reason. In my opinion the events in Uruguay, Argentina and Australia show the concept in itself is working. |
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#8 | |
Racer
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 346
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I'd love there to be lots of entries but I think 8/9 full season entries at best, with the grid topped up by local entries thanks to TCR Australia, South America, China etc is more likely again for next year.
Marrakech I guess was favoured over a second European date due to the publicity it will provide Lotti and no doubt it will look better in terms of the number of spectators than a race with empty grand stands at somewhere like Portimão or Barcelona will. |
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#9 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 869
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According to TouringCarTimes, that single European round could be held in Italy:
https://www.touringcartimes.com/2023...layed-hybrids/ So strange Hungary can be missed, given the Norbi factor. And shame it's not Spa - could have been a perfect track to start the season. Also, if this is an event in Italy, wonder which series joins the event. Lotti was not very satisfied with TCR Italian Festival last year, given his comments on Twitter. International GT Open (TCR Europe races usually on their weekends) has Portimao, Spa, Hungaroring in the first half of 2024. As for Marrakech, it seems Mehdi Bennani could make a return, doubt they would organize something without his presence |
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#10 | |
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Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 18,876
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For Hungaroring they could joing TCR Eastern Europe.
Joining a regular round of TCR Italy is impossible because of the large grid. |
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#11 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 11,304
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Maybe TCR just needs to take a few steps back and just be a national series and stop having aspirations of "world domination"?
I imagine the travel costs are horrendous, so for smaller teams even that alone would be a huge budget. In the days gone by when teams were bankrolled by works cars this cost I imagine was A) Less due to the economy and B) soaked up into whatever Marketing budget a manufacturer had. I mean a European series might work as all the freight can go by road, but any time you need to send cars around the world either by boat or plane then the costs will soar. |
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#12 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 31
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The calendar for the 2024 Kumho FIA TCR World Tour has been announced
World Tour also gains FIA status for next year. https://www.tcr-series.com/news/item...ition-for-2024 |
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#13 | |
Rookie
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 31
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Alan Gow, FIA Touring Car Commission President, said:
“Over the years world touring car racing has been undergoing constant evolution, with different technical regulations and formats utilised, and with FIA titles decided either through a series or at a single event. Given that TCR is a proven set of technical regulations with a strong customer racing platform, the concept behind the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour is something that made a lot of sense for the FIA to support it, and we look forward to its success.” Marcello Lotti, WSC President, said: “We are immensely proud that, after only one racing season, the concept of the Kumho TCR World Tour has already met with general approval from the motor sport community. 2023 has been successful thanks to the trust and support of the promoters of several national and regional TCR championships, the manufacturers, teams and drivers. To now be able to award an FIA title is the icing on the cake and provides us with powerful motivation to do our utmost to make this platform even stronger and more popular. Which is why our first efforts have been to focus on putting together an ambitious and attractive calendar for the next season. A string of nine events that makes the Kumho TCR World Tour the first ever international series for touring cars to visit six continents.” |
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#14 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 869
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Pretty good calendar, hope the Brazilian event will be held at Interlagos.
Wonder which series will join the Marrakech event or they'll create some sort of TCR Africa Cup/Festival etc. Same question applies to Zhuzhou, whether it will be TCR China or potentially TCR Asia. |
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#15 | ||
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,673
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Just one European round? That's a pretty bold move.
The Mid-Ohio round will be shared with the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. |
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#16 | |
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#17 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 478
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#18 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 869
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Would be a good choice btw, considering that Spain is the closest to Morocco from any of the European countries.
Though turns out it is not TCR Spain Now it is really unclear who will run together with TCR World Tour at Marrakech. Maybe they'll just attract 2-3 locals and call it African Trophy etc? |
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#19 | ||
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 2,010
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What a shame.
https://www.touringcartimes.com/2024...tour-calendar/ |
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#20 | ||
Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 869
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Indeed
With no positive (or any at all) news on the 2024 season, I wonder whether there will be a World Tour this year Considering they remove Australia, will other flyaway rounds be in danger |
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#21 | ||
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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Chinese round also in doubt
https://www.touringcars.net/2024/02/...rounds-in-2024 Lotti explains the reasoning behind the decision |
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#22 | |
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 3,437
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All looks rather concerning…
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#23 | ||
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 10,673
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Ouch. Shipping are seriously disrupted by the Yemen civil war.
The TCR World should consider joining the TCR South America on September 15, though probably not in Argentina (that date has a TC round). |
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__________________
Nitropteron - Fly fast or get crushed! by NaBUrean Prodooktionz naburu38.itch.io ![]() |
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#24 | |
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Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 3,437
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https://tcr-worldranking.com/news/it...nda-civic-cars
Two Hondas under new team GOAT Racing (with Pepe Oriola as team manager). No drivers confirmed yet. That’s quite the name but at least the series isn’t dead! |
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#25 | ||
Racer
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 237
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In my opinion, world championships for touring cars are dead forever.
They were too expensive in 80s, and also in 2000s, when interest through manufacturers was there. Now they are able to blast their marketing through internet around the world, not through real motorsport. Round-the-globe-motorsport only works in full manufacturer-driven championships like F1, WEC or WRC (but i am also in doubt with WRC nowadays). Even with "cheap" cars like TCR, the overhead is too much (freight, logistics, accomodation, etc.). Needs at least a full-paying manufacturer, and actually i only see Lync&Co. fully committed. Hyundai is only trying to get maximum out of minimum effort. Honda is only helping, Audi completely out. And private entries can only compete on national level. Maybe the new approach could be, to not send teams around the globe, but to encourage national teams to provide a car for their national rounds, for a works driver. Like Honda tried last year, sending Girolami with different teams according to the Nation the race was in. Could be interesting for the national teams, to see, what works driver (maybe with engineering support) can do with their machinery? |
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