FIA WTCC NEWSLETTER # 23 – 14 July 2006
CHANGES TO THE PUEBLA-AMOZOC CIRCUIT
Following the requests from the FIA Circuits Commission,
the Miguel E. Abed circuit of Puebla-Amozoc has undergone
a number of changes in the first portion of the track.
The left-handed corner at the end of the main straight no
longer leads to the infield; on the contrary it is followed
by two right-handed corners leading onto the South banking,
which was not in use last year. Drivers will therefore race
on the oval until the opposite straight, from where a 90-degree
left-handed corner leads into the infield part.
These changes were conceived in order to reduce risks of
dramatic crashes like those that forced Jörg Müller’s
BMW and Adriano De Micheli’s Honda out of last year’s
event after free practice. Further to the changes, the lap
distance has increased from 3.13 to 3.36 km, which will result
in a reduction of the number of laps to be covered during
each race from 18 to 15.
After having been shown the new map, all the drivers judged
the changes to be positive.
FIA WTCC MID-SEASON FIGURES
After the championship rounded the mid-season buoy, let’s
take a look at its figures.
29.2 drivers on the average took part in the five race meetings
held so far, with seven different race winners out of ten
rounds. Only reigning world champion Andy Priaulx managed
to claim more than one victory. All the four manufacturers
officially represented – Alfa Romeo, BMW, Chevrolet
and SEAT – were able to win at least one race.
The average attendance at the tracks was 43,750 spectators
per meeting, meaning an 8 per cent increase compared to last
year. Media attendance was also good: 92 publications, 18.5
TV-Radio crews and 188 media people were present at the events
on the average.
TOM CORONEL BECOMES FATHER
GR Asia driver Tom Coronel flew back from Brazil just in
time to assist his partner Paulien Zwart while she was giving
birth to their first child last Tuesday. The beautiful 3.7-kg
little girl has been given the name of Carmen Angel. The FIA
WTCC family send all their best wishes to her and her proud
parents.
HOME RACE FOR JAMES THOMPSON
This weekend SEAT Sport driver James Thompson will be back
in action. The man from Yorkshire will take part in the British
Touring Car Championship meeting at Croft, his home racetrack.
Thompson, who is currently second in the FIA WTCC classification
and won the BTCC first two rounds of the season will team
again Jason Plato at the wheel of a SEAT Sport UK car.
“The León will be stunning around Croft, because
there are lots of challenging corner where the car can really
make the difference,” he said.
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