FIA WTCC NEWSLETTER # 29 – 26 July 2007
BIO-FUEL AND DIESEL IN A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
This weekend’s meeting at Anderstorp marks a milestone
in the history of the FIA World Touring Car Championship and
also in general motorsport’s.
The participations of Robert Dahlgren’s bio-fuel powered
Volvo S60 and the brand new SEAT León TDI turbo-diesel
represent the first appearance of both, bio-fuel and diesel
powered cars, in a world championship.
VOLVO NOT ELIGIBLE TO SCORE POINTS
Robert Dahlgren and his Polestar Racing Volvo S60 will be
transparent as far as points are concerned.
The Swedish car was given special authorization by the FIA
Touring Car Bureau to take part in the event at Anderstorp
on the basis of national homologation, meaning that, according
to Art. 10b of the WTCC Sporting Regulations, the Volvo is
not eligible to score championship points.
COLCIAGO GETS PENALTY REDUCTION
The FIA Court of Appeal decided to reduce the penalty imposed
on Roberto Colciago by the Stewards during the FIA World Touring
Car Championship’s latest meeting in Porto.
Further to an incident at the end of the qualifying session
at Porto, between the SEAT Sport Italia’s driver and
Félix Porteiro of BMW Team Italy Spain, Colciago was
given the following penalties for the respective offences:
1) Non-respect of the yellow flag: euro 500 fine and drop
of 10 grid positions for Anderstorp’s Race 1
2) Cause of avoidable collision: cancellation of all times
and drop of 10 grid positions for Anderstorp’s Race
2
3) For physically pushing another driver on the track: euro
3,000 fine.
The FIA Court of Appeal confirmed the decisions as of points
1 and 3, but judged Colciago not responsible for causing an
avoidable collision and therefore lifted the penalty as of
point 2.
ZANARDI UNDER SPECIAL SURVEILLANCE
Alessandro Zanardi will race in Anderstorp, and
again in Oschersleben at the end of August, under the threat
of a suspended penalty.
The BMW Italy-Spain’s driver was judged by the Stewards
as responsible for causing an avoidable collision on the last
lap of the second race in Porto, which eliminated both Zanardi
and Jordi Gené.
The Italian driver was imposed a 10-place grid penalty suspended
for the next two events. 2
SEQUENTIAL GEARBOX FOR ROSENBLAD
Carl Rosenblad is the first BMW driver in the FIA WTCC to
use a car fitted with an Xtrac 6-speed sequential gearbox.
Like a number of other BMW customers in different national
touring car championships, the Swede switched to the sequential
last year to race in the STCC.
BMW’s works drivers are still driving cars fitted with
the traditional 5-speed “H” pattern gearbox, in
order to benefit from a 30-kilo reduction in the car’s
weight. However, Alessandro Zanardi tested the sequential
gearbox last week in Vallelunga and he might adopt it for
one of the following events.
THE WEEKEND’S TRACK ACTIVITIES IN ANDERSTORP
As Anderstorp is a new venue for the FIA WTCC competitors,
an extra 30-minute test session has been scheduled for tomorrow
afternoon.
Afterwards track activities will follow the usual pattern:
two 30-minute practice sessions and the 30-minute qualifying
on Saturday.
On Sunday drivers will take part in one 15-minute warm up
session and two 13 lap races at 12.05 and 14.35.
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