FIA WTCC NEWSLETTER # 17 – 2 June 2006
INCREASING TV FIGURES FOR WTCC
FIA WTCC’s TV audiences are consistently growing. After
TNS Sport certified that a total of 324 million viewers worldwide
watched WTCC broadcasts during the 2005 season, the first
figures from the first three events of the current season
are being unveiled and testify that the championship is well
on the way to reach the 2006 audience target of 450 million.
Audiences for WTCC broadcasting on Eurosport (which represents
20% of the total audiences) for the first three race meetings
held so far at Monza, Magny-Cours and Brands Hatch have significantly
increased compared to last year: +31% for the live broadcast
and +20% for the FIA WTCC Magazine.
At the same time WTCC also rates on terrestrial channels.
Its first appearance on the British premier television ITV
was a success. Despite a last minute reschedule – due
to the cancellation of the World Superbike race – delayed
the one-hour long WTCC coverage from Brands Hatch to 4.00
PM, audiences totalled to 1.1 million, with a peak of 1.5.
As for Oschersleben, Germany’s ZDF will broadcast again
both races live, like in 2005. Official figures of the worldwide
coverage of the current season will be unveiled after the
Brazilian event in Curitiba.
TOURING CAR BUREAU’S LATEST DECISION
The Touring Car Bureau have issued a decision to
reduce the minimum weight of the Alfa Romeo 156 cars by 20
kg for the race meeting in Oschersleben. Therefore the new
minimum weight of the Italian cars is now 1120 kg, driver
included.
BMW’S GREAT EXPECTATIONS FOR HOME EVENT
The WTCC Race of Germany at Oschersleben represents BMW’s
home event. The Bavarian manufacturer have great expectations,
as their drivers have won seven out of the last eight races
valid for the ETCC/WTCC at the Motorsport Arena. The only
exeption was SEAT’s victory with Rickard Rydell in the
second race of the 2004 ETCC. Last year, Andy Priaulx of BMW
Team UK secured victory in the first race, while in Race 2,
BMW Team Italy-Spain driver Alessandro Zanardi provided emotional
moments when he won the first race since his accident in 2001.
Following two difficult races in Brands Hatch, BMW Team Germany,
Jörg Müller and Dirk Müller, are hoping to
be able to benefit from the fact that they will compete with
less handicap weight on board: 25 and 20 kilos respectively.
“I’m really looking forward to the only WTCC
meeting in Germany,” said Dirk. “The track offers
some technical sections that you simply need to know. It is
important to find a good compromise in terms of car set-up
here. There are many different types of corners, and you need
to have the correct balance everywhere. The few kerbs you
are forced to cross in Oschersleben are a hazard and need
to be considered for the set-up.”
And Jörg echoed: “The Motorsport Arena is one
of the slower tracks on the calendar. Most important is a
good mechanical grip, and the car has to be able to cross
the kerbs quickly. The really nice part is to be able to compete
in front of a home crowd again. My family and many friends
will be on site to support me. That is a great feeling.”
A BUSY WEEKEND FOR ALEX ZANARDI
This weekend looks to be a busy one for Alessandro Zanardi.
Sunday morning will see the BMW Team Italy-Spain driver receive
an award from ‘Motorsport Aktuell’, a hugely popular
weekly magazine in Germany, after its readers voted Zanardi
as ‘Best Touring Car Driver’ at the end of last
year.
As well as this, the Italian idol will be visited by the
doctors from a Berlin hospital. They are in fact the doctors
who treated him after his Champ Car crash at Lausitz in 2001,
in which he lost both legs.
A CARTOON TO CELEBRATE CHEVROLET’S WIN
The historic first WTCC win for Chevrolet at the last round
in Brands Hatch was proudly celebrated by a cartoon painted
by famous Belgian artist “Clovis”. And now team
and drivers are eager to prove that the bad British weather
was a factor they mastered rather than a factor that helped
them win. Oschersleben is another circuit that should suit
the characteristics of the Chevrolet Lacetti WTC.
Team Manager, Mark Busfield explained: “We will use
our set-up from last year as a base and then add everything
we have learned throughout this year with the new car. It
will be tougher than at Brands, as our competitors have tested
there this year and traditionally perform very well at Oschersleben.
Plus Alain will carry a lot of ballast.” RML had a test
scheduled at Pembrey for this week, but the weather forecast
was showing more rain, so the team cancelled the test. “We
feel we amassed enough wet weather data last weekend!”
Busfield said.
WTCC DRIVERS MEET FANS IN MAGDEBURG
Once again the FIA WTCC drivers went to town to promote the
local event and meet the fans. This afternoon a group of drivers
took part in two different autograph sessions in downtown
Magdeburg, the 250,000-inhabitant city located only 25 km
from the Oschersleben Motorsport Arena.
At 6.00 PM the drivers hit the Allee-Center “Zentraler
Platz”, Magdeburg’s largest shopping mall located
on the central Ernst-Reuter Allee. One hour later they were
transferred to the Dom Platz for another autograph session.
In order to enhance promotion for this weekend’s race
meeting, FIA WTCC cars had been exhibited at the Allee-Centre
from May 21.
LONG JOURNEY TO BRAZIL STARTS ON SUNDAY
After the action is over at Oschersleben, attentions
will turn to the mammoth task of transporting the WTCC circus
to Brazil. Championship promoter KSO, with support from Hapag-Lloyd
and MSK has been planning the logistics of the journey for
months. The trip to Curitiba begins on Sunday evening when
27 containers will be loaded with the 25 WTCC cars, 200 tonnes
of spares and over 1500 tyres. From Oschersleben the convoy
will drive to Hamburg where the containers get loaded aboard
the vessel NYK Espirito which is set to depart on 8th June.
Almost two weeks later, on 21st June, the vessel will reach
Paranagua, Brazil. The final leg of the journey is a 100km
drive to the circuit of Curitiba where the precious cargo
will be expected on 24th of June. There the containers will
be unloaded and the teams will prepare for the FIA WTCC’s
first overseas race of the season on July 2nd.
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