FIA WTCC NEWSLETTER # 20 – 25 May 2007
ROUTE TO: PAU, FRANCE
The 7rd and 8th rounds of the FIA WTCC will take place next
week in France, on the historical street circuit of Pau. This
is the championship’s first visit to the old city on
the Pyrenées, home of the Grand Prix de Pau since 1930.
From the 1935 edition the track has not been changed –
it is the oldest street circuit in activity – and has
seen victories of many famous aces such as Etancelin, Nuvolari,
Lang, Fangio, Ascari, Behra, Trintignant, Brabham, Clark,
Rindt, Stewart, Cevert, Depailler, Arnoux, Cecotto, Alesi,
Montoya. In 1947 Pau hosted the first Grand Prix held after
the end of World War II, won by Nello Pagani’s Maserati.
After many years of Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3000,
this 67th edition of the Grand Prix de Pau is the first one
to qualify as a round of a World Championship. A few WTCC
drivers have already raced at Pau in their single seater years,
but only one of them won the Grand Prix: Jörg Müller,
in the 1996 F3000 race.
GRAND PRIX DE PAU LAUNCHED YESTERDAY
The 67th Grand Prix de Pau WTCC Race of France was launched
yesterday at Pau’s Palais Beaumont in front of large
media representative.
Drivers Yvan Muller, Alain Menu and Anthony Beltoise attended
the event, together with the city’s Mayor Mr Yves Urieta,
Jean-Paul Pasquet, president of the ASAC Basco Béarnais
and Jacques Behar, president of KSO.
55 EXTRA KILOS FOR THE LEADERS
Jörg Müller and Andy Priaulx, who are in joint
lead of the Drivers’ Championship after the third meeting
in Valencia, will carry 55 kilos of handicap weight for the
next event in Pau, only 5 shy of the maximum applicable.
Nicola Larini (currently 4th in the classification), Augusto
Farfus (3rd) and Gabriele Tarquini (5th), will be given 45,
40 and 35 extra kilos respectively, while James Thompson will
receive 30 kg as a consequence of his double victory in Spain.
A total of 14 drivers are on ballast, including newcomer Anthony
Beltoise.
55 kg Jörg Müller and Andy Priaulx 45 kg Nicola
Larini 40 kg Augusto Farfus 35 kg Gabriele Tarquini 30 kg
James Thompson 25 kg Luca Rangoni and Yvan Muller 10 kg Anthony
Beltoise 5 kg Alain Menu, Tiago Monteiro, Jordi Gené
and Michel Jourdain
FOUR MANUFACTURERS WON RACES
After the third meeting in Valencia the FIA WTCC appears
to be unpredictable as ever. Four different manufacturers
have already scored victories in the first six races of the
season, and six of their drivers are on top of the championship
standings, all covered by only 11 points.
James Thompson of N.technology was the star of the Spanish
weekend. The Briton dominated the field with his Alfa Romeo
156, claiming pole position, two victories and the fastest
lap in the first race. He was only the second driver to win
twice in the same weekend in WTCC history, since Jörg
Müller at Magny Cours in 2005.
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