2008 World Touring Car Championship

[Derek Tatters]

Big shame for Thommo. Crash.net quotes him saying he was hit by Farfus and it seems he is not a happy bunny.

He's done wonders with the Honda and the old Alfa, and deserves a full works drive more than most who have one imo

 

[Jon Trotter]

I stayed up to watch the races live - those last 2 laps were the best 2 laps of the WTCC season.

I was really gutted when I saw Thompson appear after the car had been in the wall, as I was hoping he would win and Honda may take notice and support N.Tech next year, and then Farfus, Tarquini, Menu all in trouble - what a way to end the season.

I love Macau because even if you can't overtake from Lisboa all the way to Melco Hairpin because it is so tight there is always something that happens on the back section that spices the racing up.

Also, I wish I had posted it on here before the race, but I said to my brother before the qualifying that I wouldn't be surprised if Engstler got a points finish and an independents win, considering Macau always throws up interesting results and Hernandez was realistically the only one who was going to be any close competition for him - but I didn't expect it to happen quite like that!

Was nice to see the old girl Lacetti go out with a double win and such a shame Huff was 1 point off Tarquini in the end.

 

[Richard Trange]

Congratulations Yvan and SEAT =)

To bad Rickard Rydell could not finish race 1 in his third place, that would probably have put him third in the championship.

 

[Wido Rossen]

What a mess in the last lap.
Tomsons car whas driving almost side way`s across the circuit.
Hope to see what happend with him and Farfuss.

What a weekend it has been for WTCC in Macau

 

[Chris Noble]

What a mess in the last lap.
Tomsons car whas driving almost side way`s across the circuit.
Hope to see what happend with him and Farfuss.

What a weekend it has been for WTCC in Macau

During the Eurosport broadcast after the podium and so on they briefly showed what happened to Thomson, Farfus and Tarquni.

Farfus hit Thomson into the wall destrying Thomsons car, Farfus had a damaged front left wheel as a result and so fell off completely further down the lap. Tarquini is behind Farfus when the wheel comes off and drives over it sending him into the air and nearly rolling it!

I reckon it was Tarquni that dropped the oil that caused Menu to go straight on, since he was the next car in line behind Tarquini (although Muller was there, but goign much slower because of Tarquini).

Farfus has said sorry to Thomson apparently. Still gutted for him as would have been a good end to the season!

But well done to Huff for the win! deserved it after the bad luck he got at Brands Hatch!

 

[David Guehennec]

Congratulations to Yvan Muller .
I am very very very happy for him .
seat has done a very good job .

putain c'est trop cool

 

[Wido Rossen]

The FIA World Touring Car Championship organisers are set to introduce 1.6 liter turbo charged engines from 2010, according to our information. The new engines will have a common turbo charger and be run on, a yet specified, bio fuel.

The current 2.0 liter naturally aspirated engines and turbo charnged diesel engines will be allowed to run along side the new turbo charged engines after 2010. But no new engines of the old specifications will be homologated after 2010.

The common turbo charger will be, combined with a fixed boost pressure and max rpm, introduced to keep costs down and to keep the engine performance equal.

The engine rules will most likely be synced with the proposed World Rally Championship-S2000 rules. This could enable manufacturers to relatively easily and cost effectively run cars in both WRC and WTCC, giving strength to both championships.

But if the WRC will introduce S2000 rules remains to be seen. Stay tuned!


( source touringcar times )

 

[Ryan Callan]

That will be interesting

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

This way the championship gets way too complicated imo. But then again, carmanufacturers want to show of their goods. And keeping them happy keeps the championship running, so it will be a good descision for sure.

 

[Simon Trendell]

Shame as it will just end up being hot hatch racing and not saloons anymore.

Bring back Super Touring

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Eurosport launched the season review show (4 parts) you can watch it here

 

[Edenilson Penco]

thx, always used to see reviews of Eurosport on WTCC site, would be great if other categories like FIAGT, F1, ALMS, LMS and many others did the same.

 

[Dave Stephenson]

gutted. missed all this season as no sky, and now you share the vid links, pffff.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Lol then you havent checked this part of the forum for ages Dave I regurlarly link to FIA WTCC site as being the source of news (and movies )

They actually stream it live too :thumb:

 

[Dave Stephenson]

thats what i wanted. ill be there next time round them wont I!

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

The FIA World Touring Car Championship will change its qualifying format from next season to adopt a system similar to Formula One.
The 30-minute session will be split into two parts: Q1 and Q2. All competitors will take part in the 20-minute Q1; at the end of this period they will return to the pits for a five-minute pause.
Only the drivers who have set the ten fastest laps in Q1 will participate in the 10-minute Q2. Their times in Q2 will determine the first ten grid positions for Race 1.
The grid positions from 11th downwards will be determined by the lap times set during Q1 by the other drivers.
Q1 and Q2 will be extended to 30 and 15 minutes respectively in the events held on street circuits, for a total qualifying duration of 45 minutes.
The grid for Race 2 remains based on Race 1 results, with the top eight drivers classified placed in reverse order.

Source: fiawtcc.com

 

[Simon Trendell]

I'm 50/50 on this. It means they will be pushing from the off, on the other hand for the last 10 minutes you have just 10 cars on track...

 

[Dave Stephenson]

isnt this going to have something of a negative impact on the new wieght rules.

 

[Warren Dawes]

Interesting. That is getting closer to the system used for V8 Supercars in Australia, where they divide the grid 3 times to determine the starting positions. Ie. 3 sessions, top 20 to second session, and then top 10 to final session. It has made tyre management during qualy a strategy element, since the number of tyres is restricted.
It seemed to work well during the 2008 season.

 

[Jon Trotter]

I'm 50:50 on this as well.

Unless you have the capabilities to change the tyres like the STCC guys do - even if you had more than 1 set of tyres for Q2 on a short track like Pau you're only going to get one run with one set of tyres in.

It will be an improvement though in that anyone blocked who makes the top 10 will be able to try again, but at the same time if you do a great lap in Q1, you'll lose it for Q2.

I'm not sure it WTCC gain anything from it - but I'll reserve my judgement until I see it in action.

The BTCC style random reverse grids would have been more interesting to me.