FIA WTCC newsletter 21
CAZENAVE REPLACES TIELEMANS IN PAU
Laurent Cazenave will replace Olivier Tielemans at the wheel
of the Wiechers-Sport BMW 320si car for the WTCC meeting in
Pau.
A 33-year old from Pau, Cazenave makes his WTCC maiden appearance
on his home circuit. Since 1995 he has emerged as one of the
fastest amateur drivers in French car racing. Further to a
couple of single-seater seasons (he classified third in the
1997 Formula Ford B championship) Cazenave switched to covered
wheels: touring cars first and GT later. He achieved brilliant
results in the French Super Production Championship (third
in 2000) before moving to the FFSA GT Championship in 2001.
In this latter series he has shared Porsche, Chrysler and
Corvette cars with his fellow citizen (and former ETCC driver)
Eric Cayrolle achieving race wins and podiums.
"Tielemans cannot race in Pau because he is recovering
from a minor health problem. Luckily we had the opportunity
to make an agreement with Cazenave in such a short time. We
are happy with this, because we believe that the team will
benefit a lot from his experience of the track," Wiechers-Sport
team manager Dominik Greiner said.
DRIVERS PARADED THROUGH THE CITY CENTRE
The WTCC Race of France got underway in Pau, with two successful
promotional days.
Activities began on Thursday afternoon at the Quartier Libre
shopping malll, where some of the drivers competed against
fans using the Race simulators, the official WTCC videogame.
Later the drivers paraded along the city's central streets,
eventually arriving at the City Hall in Place Royale, where
they were received by the Mayor, Madame Martine Lignères-Cassou,
who officially opened the 68th Grand Prix de Pau.
On Friday afternoon, after attending the briefing, the drivers
reached the Maître Kanter restaurant in rue Alfred de
Lassence to meet the fans in a crowded autograph session.
EXTENDED QUALIFYING SESSION IN PAU
Like in 2007, the WTCC competitors will benefit from extended
qualifying sessions on the street circuits.
Tomorrow in Pau, Saturday's usual 30-minute qualifying session
will last 45 minutes: from 15.00 to 15.45 local time.
The same will apply at Macau, on the occasion of the season's
final race meeting.
BUREAU'S MAKE BMW AND HONDA LIGHTER
In their effort to make performances on the track as equal
as possible, the FIA Touring Car Bureau have issued two decisions
that will have effect from the event in Pau and until further
notice.
Both decisions concern a reduction of the cars' minimum weight:
all BMW cars: minus 15 kg
all Honda cars: minus 20 kg
These reductions will be applied to the cars' total weight
including the success ballast.
PRIAULX AND ENGSTLER UNDER OBSERVATION
From this week's event in Pau, the WTCC Stewards will pay
special attention to Andy Priaulx and Franz Engstler's behaviour
on the track.
In fact both drivers received a suspended ten-grid-position
drop after they were involved in different collisions during
the championship's previous race meeting at Valencia.
Priaulx had a clash with BMW fellow driver Augusto Farfus
at the start of the first race; his penalty will remain suspended
for the next two events: Pau and Brno.
Engstler collided with fellow Independent competitor Olivier
Tielemans during the second race; his penalty will remain
suspended for the next three events: Pau, Brno and Estoril.
EUROSPORT LIVE COVERAGE FROM PAU
Saturday, 31st: Qualifying - LIVE Eurosport 2, 15.00/15.45
Sunday, 1st: Warm up - LIVE Eurosport International, 08.30/09.30
Race 1 - LIVE Eurosport 2, 11.45/12.45
Race 2 - LIVE Eurosport International, 15.00/16.30
Times are CET (Central European Time)
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