FIA WTCC NEWSLETTER # 44 – 29th November 2005
FIA WTCC SEASON – FINAL FIGURES
Figures say it all. And in the case of the FIA WTCC they
prove how successful the maiden season has been and how good
its potential is.
On the sporting side 53 drivers, from 20 different countries
and four continents took part in at least one championship
meeting. They were at the wheel of cars built by eight manufacturers
and made an average participation rate of 28.4 competitors
per event. The victories obtained by Augusto Farfus and Duncan
Huisman in Macau meant that 12 drivers were victorious over
20 races (Fabrizio Giovanardi topped the field with 5 wins).
24 drivers scored championship points and 15 of them claimed
podium results. Over ten qualifying sessions, only two drivers
– Gabriele Tarquini and Jörg Müller –
were able to claim pole position twice. The latter was also
the only driver capable to win both races in the same weekend,
at Magny-Cours.
An average of 40,700 spectators attended the events on-site,
meaning an increase of 67.5 per cent compared to the 2004
FIA ETCC. Official TV data say that more than 300 million
viewers watched the races live or delayed. Media attendance
was also very good and reached its peak in Macau, with 1063
accreditations; the average over the season was 274 media
persons per meeting.
CHEVROLET APPEALED AGAINST MENU’S EXCLUSION
Chevrolet appealed against the decision of the Stewards to
exclude Alain Menu from Race 2 in Macau. The Swiss driver
finished the race third, behind the BMW cars of Huisman and
Priaulx, giving Chevrolet their first podium result.
However during post-race scrutineering, because the weight
of Menu’s Chevrolet Lacetti was close to the minimum
weight, the FIA Technical Delegate drained the remaining fuel
from the tank. This revealed that only 0.5 litres were left,
while art. 60 of the Sporting Regulations requires a minimum
of three litres as a sample for fuel analysis.
Further to the technical report the Stewards decided to exclude
Menu, handing third position in the race to Farfus. However
the team lodged an appeal grounded on the fact that the car’s
data logging system revealed that damages caused by an accident
during the first race caused excessive fuel consumption.
The FIA will communicate the date for the hearing of the
International Court of Appeal.
FIA WTCC TROPHIES AWARDED IN MACAU
 2005
FIA World Touring Car Championship’s trophies were awarded
last Sunday, during the traditional Macau Grand Prix party
at the Macau Tower, where Andy Priaulx’s championship
winning car was exhibited in the main lobby.
After a spectacular film of the season, KSO president Jacques
Behar and general manager Marcello Lotti, together with Henry
Krausz, Vice President of the FIA Senate, called to the stage
the 2005 FIA WTCC champions, Andy Priaulx and BMW, represented
by Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, to slice the WTCC cake.
The prize giving ceremony started with the Michelin Trophies.
Marc Hennerici, Giuseppe Cirò and Stefano D’Aste
filled the Independent Drivers’ podium, while Teams’
trophies were awarded to Proteam, GR Asia and Wiechers-Sport.
The soirée culminated with the Manufacturers’
Championship – BMW, Alfa Romeo and SEAT – and
Drivers’ Championship podiums – Andy Priaulx,
Dirk Müller and Fabrizio Giovanardi.
HENNERICI AND PROTEAM WIN TROPHIES
Both WTCC Michelin Trophies have found their winners in the
final meeting at Macau. Marc Hennerici of Wiechers-Sport had
led the points for the Independents’ Trophy from the
very first race in Monza and victory was finally his in Macau.
The young German had a dream start to the season, winning
three consecutive races and putting pressure on his rivals
to catch up. And that’s exactly what they did. Tom Coronel
had double victory in Puebla, Stefano D’Aste finished
2nd overall in Spa and Carl Rosenblad and Giuseppe Cirò
were increasing their point totals with consistent finishes.
Heading into Macau, the fight was closer than ever and with
double points to be awarded, it was all to play for. The unforgiving
nature of the Guia track played into the hands of Hennerici
as despite finishing just one of the races, his competitors
also fell victim to accidents. Over the previous 18 races
Hennerici had built a large enough cushion to claim the title
after the first race in Macau and finished with a total of
114 points ahead of Cirò and D’Aste.
Despite not winning the Independents’ Trophy, Stefano
D’Aste and Giuseppe Cirò’s performances
this year drove Proteam Motorsport to victory in the Teams’
Trophy. Consistency was the key for the Italy-based team.
They were the only competitors to score at every round and
finished in fine form by achieving maximum points in Macau
as D’Aste and Cirò claimed one win apiece. They
finished 61 points ahead of GR Asia with Wiechers-Sport in
third place.
FLASH NEWS
BOLOGNA: Five FIA WTCC cars – Alfa
Romeo, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford and SEAT – will be exhibited
at the 30th Bologna Motor Show, 3rd to 11th December. The
five racing cars will be placed in the Motorsport Zone, inside
Hall 33, together with the Formula 1 and World Rally Championship
winning cars, Renault R25 and Citroën Xsara.
SEAT: German driver Florian Gruber will
drive for SEAT Sport in one of the 2006 FIA WTCC race meetings.
In the 2005 season Gruber (21) finished 4th overall in the
German SEAT León Supercopa and won the SEAT European
Masters Race in Barcelona.
GARCÍA: A few days after Macau, BMW
Team Italy-Spain’s Antonio García finished his
racing season on a high note. Today in Barhein, the Spaniard
won the final round of the FIA GT Championship, sharing an
Aston Martin with Christophe Bouchut.
THEY SAID: QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Andy Priaulx, after winning the World title: “I am
proud that it is my name that will be on the World Championship
Trophy. I am proud of being from Guernsey and proud to be
British and feel I have done something special for my country.”
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