FIA WTCC NEWSLETTER # 23 – 15 June 2007
SEAT GIVE NEW ENGINE TO JORDI GENÉ
In Brno Jordi Gené will be the first SEAT Sport driver
to use the new engine with the 13:1 compression ratio during
a race weekend.
“We have tested it before, but we are still not sure
about the reliability. However we think that is worthy to
take the risk and try it in the races,” SEAT Sport director
Jaime Puig said.
Using the new engine means that Gené loses the benefit
of the 25-kilo reduction granted to SEAT by the Touring Car
Bureau. “The engine delivers 5 or 6 bhp more, and although
we feel that this and the weight reduction are equal benefits,
we hope the engine helps Gené to solve the problems
we have with top speed,” explained Puig.
TV MORNING SHOW LIVE FROM BRNO TRACK
This morning the popular daily show “Dobré Ránd”
(Good Morning) aired on CT1 – Czech Republic’s
most viewed TV channel – was broadcast live from the
Brno racetrack, introducing the FIA World Touring Car Championship
to viewers all around the country.
The programme started at 6.00, showing arrival of the teams
at the track and their morning works in the garages. From
7.20 to 8.30 live interviews were shot in a studio that had
been set-up in the Chevrolet’s garage; among the hosts
were Robert Huff, James Thompson, Félix Porteiro and
Gabriele Tarquini.
WIECHERS-SPORT REBUILT D’ASTE’S CAR
The past ten days will be remembered for a while
at Wiechers-Sport. The team’s personnel had to work
flat out to rebuild Stefano D’Aste’s car that
was extensively damaged in a dramatic crash during the second
race in Pau. “As a matter of fact we had to change everything
but the body shell. We just finished rebuilding the car on
Wednesday afternoon, just in time to load it on the truck
and drive to Brno,” team manager Dominik Greiner explained.
O’BRIEN AIMING FOR GOOD RESULTS
Emmet O’Brien currently stands fifth in the Independents’
Trophy and drives a SEAT León run by GR Asia. With
Sergio Hernández not present at the Czech event it’s
a good chance for the man with the green car to score points.
“I had very high expectations of this season following
the 2006 European Touring Car Cup where I came second but
it hasn’t gone to plan and the first four races have
been really difficult. We have a few new things coming for
the cars and a few new things up our sleeve so hopefully that
should point us in the right direction to get the pace that
we need. Although I’m 32 points behind Rangoni I am
definitely aiming for the title. I’ve scored points
in all races but two so my consistency is strong; we just
need to get the pace sorted,” the Irish youngster said.
CORONEL 2nd IN NÜRBURGRING 24H
Last Sunday Tom Coronel claimed an outstanding result at the
35th ADAC 24 Hour race on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife.
The Zakspeed Dodge Viper that Coronel shared with Duncan Huisman,
Patrick Simon and Christophe Bouchut delivered a perfect race.
Coronel qualified the car in second place, just over a second
shy of the pole position time set by Olaf Manthey in a Porsche
and at the end of tha race the team was classified second
overall, clinching victory in the SP8 class.
THE WEEKEND’S TRACK ACTIVITIES IN BRNO
Track activities will follow the usual pattern in Brno: two
30-minute practice sessions and the standard 30-minute qualifying
on Saturday. On Sunday drivers will take part in one 15-minute
warm up session and two 11-lap races.
Saturday, June 16th 09.00/09.30 Free Practice 1
11.30/12.00 Free Practice 2
15.00/15.30 Qualifying
Sunday, June 3rd 09.00/09.15 Warm up
12.05 Race 1
15.35 Race 2
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