WTCC 2010 Facts, rumours and speculation... - Page 5

nobster · 28 Dec 2009, 20:11 (Ref:2605779)

Is there any news about the WTCC most underrated driver Tom Coronel ? What does this guy have to do for a works drive? I would like to see him in one of the works Seat cars but afraid it won't happen again next year.

**FIRE** · 29 Dec 2009, 12:16 (Ref:2605942)

In these difficult times something positive:

Quote:

The prize money for the Yokohama Independents Trophy have been increased by 24% ahead of the coming season. The total sum of prize money has been increased from 384 000 euro to 480 000 euro.

The increase means that each event will have a total of 40 000 euro available for the independent drivers of WTCC.

The scale for the prize money of each race is as follows:

- 12,000 euros to the first driver
- 10,000 euros to the second driver
- 8,000 euros to the third driver
- 5,000 euros to the fourth driver
- 3,000 euros to the fifth driver
- 2,000 euros to the sixth driver
...

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=4293

**FIRE** · 29 Dec 2009, 12:21 (Ref:2605944)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nobster

Is there any news about the WTCC most underrated driver Tom Coronel ? What does this guy have to do for a works drive? I would like to see him in one of the works Seat cars but afraid it won't happen again next year.

Don't expect him in a factory car (maybe not even in a private car

) because when times were still good he never got a factory drive. For a factory car he has to pay and with SEAT not doing well I don't expect an increased budget from SEAT Holland.

Juntos · 29 Dec 2009, 16:34 (Ref:2606032)

How about the Macau dream team - Lei Meng, Jo Merszei, Henry Ho and Liu Man?
They promised to return at full-time next year.

awrb · 5 Jan 2010, 14:50 (Ref:2608441)

Are they just using this name before they reveal which company is backing it, or is this the worst team name in the series?
http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=4300

I'm not sure whether they sound confident or naive, but lets hope they make it on the grid and have a good go of the series. Anyone got any details on who they are and what cars they'll use?

**FIRE** · 5 Jan 2010, 17:56 (Ref:2608511)

Quote:

Originally Posted by awrb

Are they just using this name before they reveal which company is backing it, or is this the worst team name in the series

I am afraid it's the latter.

www.companyxracing.com

**touringlegend** · 5 Jan 2010, 22:06 (Ref:2608619)

The linked in profile says something about them starting with the infrastructure of a succesful touring car team. Have a lot of the 888 workfroce moved over?

awrb · 5 Jan 2010, 23:17 (Ref:2608644)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

I am afraid it's the latter.

www.companyxracing.com

Looking at the 'sponsorship' section of their site, it seems they dont have any baking for this effort. they're still selling 'title sponsorship' areas of the car. The diagram in that section just makes me think, 'oh dear'. It just looks like such an idealistic and naive idea.

redshoes · 6 Jan 2010, 08:50 (Ref:2608775)

Quote:

Originally Posted by touringlegend

The linked in profile says something about them starting with the infrastructure of a succesful touring car team. Have a lot of the 888 workfroce moved over?

The list of combined achievements of the team members refers to multiple BTCC race wins. If the team team included a lot of the 888 workforce wouldn't you list that as having won multiple BTCC championships?

E46 · 6 Jan 2010, 11:06 (Ref:2608845)

SEAT Sport will announce 2010 program the next week according www.sportmotores.es.

**touringlegend** · 6 Jan 2010, 11:18 (Ref:2608856)

Quote:

Originally Posted by redshoes

The list of combined achievements of the team members refers to multiple BTCC race wins. If the team team included a lot of the 888 workforce wouldn't you list that as having won multiple BTCC championships?

Northern South team then?

kristof14 · 7 Jan 2010, 14:22 (Ref:2609504)

It looks to me like it could be related to Team Essex/Poulsen Motorsport?

Parramatta_Power · 10 Jan 2010, 11:46 (Ref:2610944)

Will Chevrolet be running a 2-Car team like SEAT in 2010 or are they sticking with 3 cars????

**FIRE** · 10 Jan 2010, 12:26 (Ref:2610966)

3 cars: Huff, Menu and Y Muller

**FIRE** · 11 Jan 2010, 10:34 (Ref:2611516)

D'Aste back to Proteam:
http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=4308

Hazard · 12 Jan 2010, 16:20 (Ref:2612245)

Hearing SEAT are out of the WTCC, as well as a general redundancy of some of their production force.

News here: http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=4311

touring fan01 · 12 Jan 2010, 16:43 (Ref:2612260)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazard

Hearing SEAT are out of the WTCC, as well as a general redundancy of some of their production force.

News here: http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=4311

A shame but it was expected to happen.

I hear that Lada are not returning either.

**FIRE** · 12 Jan 2010, 16:58 (Ref:2612264)

Hazard · 12 Jan 2010, 17:01 (Ref:2612267)

Quote:

Originally Posted by touring fan01

A shame but it was expected to happen.

I hear that Lada are not returning either.

Lada are in more financial trouble than SEAT - don't expect works backing at all. Russian Bears still intend to run them privately though.

Just to summarise the manufacturer backed drivers in 2010:

Driver	Nat	Car
Augusto Farfus	BRZ	BMW 320si
Andy Priaulx	GBR	BMW 320si
Yvan Muller	FRA	Chevrolet Cruze
Robert Huff	GBR	Chevrolet Cruze
Alain Menu	SWI	Chevrolet Cruze

That's it (compared to 2009, minus two BMW's, five SEAT's and three Lada's)

Thommofan · 12 Jan 2010, 17:18 (Ref:2612275)

The slippery slope for WTCC aswell as BTCC???

(Manufacturer wise I mean)

touring fan01 · 12 Jan 2010, 17:32 (Ref:2612288)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thommofan

The slippery slope for WTCC aswell as BTCC???

(Manufacturer wise I mean)

How come some people dont realise that the days of lots of manufacturers bankrolling lots of motorsport are long gone? Those days are finished. Have a look around you; F1, World Rally, Sports Cars, Touring Cars. You name it, the manufacturers have been pulling out.

But as long as you have good cars, good drivers and good racing who cares?!

Jamesy-18 · 12 Jan 2010, 18:52 (Ref:2612325)

Personally, I don't see why SEAT's pull-out would be that bad a thing for the WTCC. For me, it's no big a disaster as some sites are making it out to be.

Look at the BTCC. In 1998 it hit a high point for manufacturer's involvement in the sport with Audi, Renault, Ford, Vauxhall, Honda, Volvo and Peugeot all there. Slowly, all but Vauxhall disappeared from the sport. Even now, BTCC has no manufacturers (at least confirmed for 2010 and beyond) with Vauxhall and SEAT's recently withdrawals in the past two years.

But look at it. The BTCC is in the form of it's life currently with the series never having more interest, bigger car counts, more people at the track, TV viewing figures etc. Despite there being no manufacturers in the sport, it still continues, not even limping in the slightest. It is as strong as or even stronger than 1998 in that aspect.

I think it comes to a point where manufacturers arn't really as important to touring cars as they used to be. If a manufacturer pulls out in F1, it's a disaster, if two pull out, people think about the sport being weakened. If the same happens in touring cars, the great racing carries on. Sure, manufacturer involvement sell tickets and it looks great on the advertisements, but personally, I don't tune into touring car racing to watch manufacturers. I tune in to atch great racing.

The fact of the matter is despite manufacturers being more important in a world series, there could still be no problem. Privateer teams still produce the great racing that people love to see with or without manufacturer involvement.

Crisis in WTCC? Not from where I'm sitting.

Hazard · 12 Jan 2010, 18:56 (Ref:2612329)

Quote:

Originally Posted by touring fan01

How come some people dont realise that the days of lots of manufacturers bankrolling lots of motorsport are long gone? Those days are finished. Have a look around you; F1, World Rally, Sports Cars, Touring Cars. You name it, the manufacturers have been pulling out.

But as long as you have good cars, good drivers and good racing who cares?!

If you're referring to my comment, I was rather matter of factly stating the level of manufacturer support.

The problem is the level of manufacturer support does make a difference sometimes. I'd venture the complete absence of manufacturer support in the BTCC will make it more interesting than the WTCC - because the WTCC media production is so biased to give their manufacturers the maximum coverage, you never see a great deal of the independent battles - so just seeing a handful of Chevrolets vs BMW will be a bit poor watching in that regard.

This is slightly different to the DTM or V8 Supercars who at least provide full fields of cars despite bias in their manufacturer support to a few teams.

Also, the WTCC so far hasn't promised a great number of independent entries as of yet - and most we are hearing are headed for the ETCC...it might be that the WTCC is self-destructing and reforming into the ETCC, either by design or error.

It's still early days though - I guess we'll see in March.

JMeissner · 12 Jan 2010, 19:16 (Ref:2612336)

Michel Nykjær confirmed for SUNRED Engineering.

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=4312

touring fan01 · 12 Jan 2010, 19:29 (Ref:2612339)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazard

If you're referring to my comment, I was rather matter of factly stating the level of manufacturer support.

??
Clearly I was quoting Thommofan, not you.

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