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FIA WTCC NEWSLETTER # 31 – 26th August 2005
TOURING CAR BUREAU’S LATEST DECISIONS
The Touring Car Bureau have confirmed the cars’ minimum
weights will remain as they were during the previous meeting
in Spa.
A 10-kg reduction for all the front-wheel drive cars, plus
another minus 10 kg for the Ford Focus and the Chevrolet Lacetti
cars.
SEAT LEÓN WTCC BREAKS COVER
On Tuesady Jordi Gené gave the new SEAT León
WTCC car its first public outing at Oschersleben, where the
Spaniard drove a number of journalists around the German circuit.
Because the sporting regulations ban testing on the tracks
that will be hosting championship rounds, SEAT Sport received
special authorisation from the FIA to organise the session.
This weekend in Oschersleben Gené will give the car
its race debut in rounds 13 and 14 of the FIA World Touring
Car Championship, while Rickard Rydell and Peter Terting will
continue racing the Toledo Cupra. It will be the same at the
following FIA WTCC race meeting in Istanbul, while all three
SEAT Sport drivers will race the León in Valencia in
October.
A NEW CHALLENGE FOR STÉPHANE ORTELLI
There will be a new SEAT Toledo Cupra among the FIA WTCC
field at Oschersleben this weekend, with twice FIA GT Champion
(N-GT class) Stéphane Ortelli at the wheel. It is exactly
ten years ago that he was driving with Team Oreca in the French
Supertourisme and he returns to touring cars with great anticipation.
“It’s special to be back, especially in an exclusive
championship such as the FIA WTCC. When I raced with the GTs
I always paid attention to the touring car races, both for
enjoyment and also on a professional level - I wanted to learn
from them. This championship looks increasingly exciting from
an outside point of view and I expect more and more drivers
from other series to take part for a new challenge.”
Team Oreca Playstation, who are supported by SEAT France,
have had two days testing, at Magny-Cours and Alès
in preparation for their FIA WTCC race debut.
“Testing with Jordi Gené at Magny-Cours was
particularly helpful for me and the team as we were able to
compare my data with his and this highlighted how we can progress.
You can’t expect too much when you join such an exclusive
and demanding championship in the middle of the year. It feels
as though I am a school boy joining the year late and I need
to catch up on what the other students have done. I am very
curious, open-minded and extremely excited.”
MAN OF THE WEEK:ERIC HÉLARY
Eric Hélary will be behind the wheel of Peugeot Sport
Denmark’s 407 car at Oschersleben this weekend for rounds
13 & 14 of the FIA WTCC. Eric is an experienced man in
the world of touring cars having driven for Opel in the French
and German Super Touring and then the DTM. How is he feeling
about his first FIA WTCC appearance?
What do you think of the Championship? “It is a great
package. For a manufacturer it is not too expensive, the press
and TV coverage is excellent and the races are amazing. On
a competitive level it is a big challenge.”
What are your expectations for the weekend?
“My expectations are not high but I hope we can do better
than in Spa. Primarily we are focusing on the future. It is
my job to help in the learning process so we can assess things
and develop gradually. It is worth remembering it is not a
complete factory car and that makes things a little more challenging.”
What is your first impression of the car? “I tested
the car two days ago. We only had one day to test and of course
I would have preferred three or four but I can say the car
has good potential; I like it and will be trying my best out
there.”
FLASH NEWS
PRIAULX: Andy Priaulx has a new chassis
in Oschersleben: “After Spa Bart Mampaey and his team,
who run my BMW Team UK car, decided I needed a new chassis
and got down to work. I tested the new car last week in Zolder
and fell in love with it.”
JAS: Like in Spa, JAS Motorsport will run
only one Honda Accord car in Oschersleben. This time it will
be Adriano De Micheli to take the wheel, replacing Roberto
Colciago. Team principal Alessandro Mariani explained: “Ours
is an independent programme, run on a limited budget. The
car De Micheli crashed in Puebla was not repairable, and for
the moment we cannot afford to replace it. We are working
to find the money to be back with the second car from Valencia.”
THEY SAID:QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Dirk Müller about racing in Oschersleben:
“I’m really looking forward to competing in the
FIA WTCC German round. Races in your home country are always
very special. You meet a lot of friends and acquaintances,
and that gives you an added incentive.”
OFFICIAL FIGURES Drivers who have passed
scrutineering: 27 Represented countries: 12 Represented Manufacturers:
7
FIA WTCC TIMETABLE – OSCHERSLEBEN, 27th
and 28th August Saturday
09.00 – 09.30 Free practice Sunday 09.20 – 09.35
Warm-up 12.30 – 13.00 Free practice 15.15 Race 1 15.00
– 15.30 Qualifying 16.20 Race 2
TV COVERAGE FROM OSCHERSLEBEN (Central European Time)
Saturday, 27th: FIA WTCC Magazine – repeat EUROSPORT,
08.30/09.00 Qualifying – highlights EUROSPORT, 22.00/22.15
Sunday, 28th: Warm up – LIVE EUROSPORT, 09.00/09.40
Races 1 & 2 – LIVE EUROSPORT, 15.00/17.00 Races
1 & 2 – LIVE ZDF, 15.15/17.00
Monday, 29th: Races 1 & 2 – repeat
EUROSPORT 2, 16.00/17.00
Thursday, 1st: FIA WTCC Magazine EUROSPORT, 10.30/11.00
Friday, 2nd: FIA WTCC Magazine –
repeat EUROSPORT, 08.30/09.00
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