WTCC to stay on 11 rounds this year

2010. június 26. 18:12 | még nem szólt hozzá senki.  szerző: Viktor Adorján

The 2010 FIA World Touring Car Championship will finish after 11 rounds which means that the previously cancelled Mexican weekend will not be substituted by another round. Next year Suzuka will host the Race of Japan that will be ran using 1.6 litre petrol engines.

Several announcements were made in Zolder or shortly after the race related to the immediate or near future of the FIA World Touring Car Championship. The one with the most actuality is the news that this year's WTCC season will settle on 11 race weekends which means that the Race of Mexico, originally scheduled for the 11th of April in Pueble, will not be substituted.

There were talks between the series' organizer KSO and other parties interested in hosting the race but they didn't come to an agreement so the rumored Chinese round will not take place this year.

Marcello Lotti, CEO of KSO explained to the official website of the WTCC: “We did not find the conditions to seal a satisfactory agreement, and taking into account that this is a season affected by the global crisis, we thought it was better to settle on eleven events.”

Suzuka to host 2011 Race of Japan

Another world class, F1 standard facility will join the 2011 FIA WTCC schedule, as Suzuka, the home of the Japanese Grand Prix replaces Okayama in next year's WTCC calendar. The world championship has visited Okayama since 2008 and saw Norbert Michelisz's WTCC debut following his victory in the SEAT Leon EuroCup.

"The decision to move from Okayama to Suzuka next year was mainly led by commercial needs although we are very happy with our cooperation with the Okayama International Circuit that began in 2008. In these three years they have believed in the potential of WTCC and worked hard to help the WTCC Race of Japan become popular with the fans," said Marcello Lotti, CEO of KSO.

"WTCC is growing fast and every year we must provide more and larger spaces for hospitalities, VIP reception, commercial and promotional activities. The Suzuka Circuit will enable us to achieve this, especially after it was radically restructured to host the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix.” 

Suzuka returned into the F1 calendar last year after a major revamp while the Japanese Grand Prix was hosted by the Fuji circuit, and remained as one of the most famous circuits on the world featuring numerous corners that earned places in the motorsport industry's history.

"Suzuka has always been among my favourite circuits although I've only seen it on TV during the F1 broadcasts but I really like the layout. I can say that one thing would be checked off in my life if I can race there. I'm really happy thet Suzuka replaces Okayama however it isn't a bad track either," said Norbert Michelisz.

1.6 liter engines are confirmed

Following its meeting on the 23rd of June 2010 the FIA World Motorsport Council issued a statement containing that the "World Council adopted new cost-controlling technical regulations to permit the adaptation of the current Super 2000 cars to the new 1.6L turbo engine."

I think in general we'll have an advantage with the 1.6 turbo engine because we're using a turbocharged car now and the cup car has been equipped with a turbo as well. The characteristics of the engine is similar so it is advantageous for sure to jump into this new car from a turbo car rather than a naturally aspirated one," Michelisz guessed.

This means that the series is preparing to introduce all new engine configurations and technologies next year that is likely to bring important changes in the pecking order and aiming to increase the interest among the manufacturers that are potentially considering an entry for the series.

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