FIA WTCC - DoubleDeClutch.com

Testing Times

Mon, 16 Feb 2015 17:04:09 +0000

A quick trip to Barcelona last week for the FIA WTCC Media Launch. Under the new regulations introduced last year Citroën dominated the Championship with José María López taking a well deserved title. The French factory team probably expect to continue that state of affairs in 2015.

However it was clear that Honda has other ideas, there was a mood of quiet optimism present in the JAS Motorsport camp. The Honda has been revised and a lot of work has gone into improving the engine.

The Championship kicks off in Argentina at Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo on 8th March but the really big news is that there will be two rounds on the Nordschleife in May. That will be the first World Championship event held at the full Nürburgring track since 1983.

It is already on my to do list…………..

John Brooks, February 2015

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Once Upon a Time in the West

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 15:09:16 +0000

: American Gothic

Much trepidation over WTCC’s first USA visit. Would we be subjected to another European export that can’t survive the crossing, a steaming helping of tripes a la mode de Caen — the chance to watch old men grinding the tires off of a gaggle of front-drive shit-box SEAT Leons that Americans have likely never even heard of?

Un-American

Sunday, a surprisingly large and enthusiastic crowd turned-up at the raceway in Sonoma to see what it was all about — and the racing was quite entertaining. I had to scratch my head about the made-for-television format of two 13 lappers with lots of dead-time before, between, and after, but the open grid for pre-race festivities and plenty of tradin’ paint appeared to keep the youthful throng happy enough.

Trading Paint

In this age we’ve become accustomed to their short attention spans — sailing’s America’s Cup World Series was on San Francisco Bay earlier in the month, and Cup defender tech-billionaire Larry Ellison exchanged traditional blue blazer yachting’s endless hours of tacking duels for an explosion of fixed-wing catamarans contesting a series of brief high-tech dinghy races.

Future Ford

The micro-burst races of the WTCC follow a similar tack in attempting to present our old-school sport to an X-Games audience. WTCC’s sprint-race format has the advantage of keeping the field from stringing-out, while the reverse grid assures that there is plenty of action during the brief moments during which millennial attention-spans can accept stimulation. It’s all over before the next round of Tweets can come through.

Witness Protection Programme

Of course, I can’t imagine that the tires of a front-driver would hold-up to any more than the required 13 tours, so it works out rather well for teams trying to compete in cars employing on this unfortunate layout. The speeds, handling, and size of the WTCC cars is quite well-suited to the Sonoma circuit. Real racing, real teams, real drivers, well presented and organized.

G ‘n T

If the shotgun wedding of ALMS and GrandAm can be interpreted as evidence that the manufacturers are heading back to racing what they really sell, this series presents a fine showcase for the sort of car that the newly-pauperized 99-Percent are actually buying today. Why, even Morse showed-up in a press-fleet Kia Forte rather than his accustomed Panamera Hybrid or Bentley Flying Spur.

David Soares, October 2012

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Per Ardua Ad Astra

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 08:18:02 +0000

The attention of many in my world will be on a press conference later today held at Daytona Beach, though I doubt that anything will be revealed that has not already been leaked. Around about that time some of us will raise our eyes to the sky and reflect in awe at the depth of the human spirit. At 15.15 GMT Alessandro Zanardi will compete in the first of his three races at the 2012 Paralympics, participating in the Mens Individual H4 Time Trial.

We should be inspired by the determination and sheer guts of Alex and all his fellow Paralympians. Here he is at the same track back in 2009.

John Brooks, September 2012

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