WTCC – Volvo enter two cars in Brands Hatch meeting

The Swedish Touring Car team, Polestar Racing have entered two Volvo C30s in the British leg of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) at Brands Hatch.

This will be Volvo’s third guest appearance in the WTCC since the series’ inception in 2005, as Dahlgren raced a S60 at Anderstorp in 2007 and a C30 at Brands Hatch in 2008.

On this occasion, Dahlgren and Tommy Rustad, who currently compete in the Swedish Touring Car Championship, will be laden with the maximum compensation weight and will not be eligible to score points during the event.

“Last year was an exploratory appearance. This year we are upping the stakes to give our British Volvo fans and customers a great show,” said Derek Crabb, Director of Motorsport at Volvo Car Corporation.

 Rustad – the first Norwegian to compete in the championship – is currently placed 2nd in the Swedish series and Dahlgren lies in 6th.

WTCC – BMW teams expect a difficult weekend in Porto

BMW took two wins in Brno but aren't confident going to Porto

After three consecutive victories, BMW heads to the Circuito da Boavista in Porto for the 99th and 100th World Touring Car Championship races since the series began in 2005.

At the previous two races, which were held in the Czech Republic, Alessandro Zanardi and Sergio Hernandez for BMW Team Italy-Spain secured one race victory each, putting BMW just eight points adrift of Seat Sport in the Manufacturers’ Championship standings at the half way point of the season. 

 In the Drivers’ Championship it is Augusto Farfus for BMW Team Germany who is at present Seat’s closest challenger. The German had a disappointing weekend in Brno, scoring no points and allowing Yvan Muller to extend his championship lead. 

And, because all the BMW drivers will have 40 kilograms of ballast on board their cars, Farfus is expecting to have a difficult time of it in Porto too.

He said; “Although we were in Porto in 2007, I view the circuit as a newcomer on the calendar as some changes have been made to its layout. I am looking forward to the race. In Portugal I feel as though I’m at home. After my mistake in Brno I intend to score points again.”  

Zanardi agrees, he said; “In Porto it won’t be easy for us. Although I like the circuit, it is hardly the perfect layout for BMW. But, after my victory in Brno I am naturally highly motivated to post another good result.”

WTCC – Yokohama gets rubbered in until 2012 as series prepares to mark milestone

Yokohama - WTCC control tyre supplier until 2012

Yokohama will continue to be the official tyre supplier of the FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) until the end of the 2012 season after being appointed by the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC).

The Japanese-based rubber manufacturer have been the championship’s sole tyre supplier since the 2006 season and will continue to supply the control tyre in the WTCC for the next three years in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Yokohama’s General Motorsports Manager Akinori Tokieda said; “Working with the WTCC is a great challenge for us. This is a very close fought championship, with different kinds of cars. And because these racing cars are closely derived from the standard production models, eventually many ideas from the race tyres find their way into production road tyres.

This news comes as the WTCC prepares to celebrate its 100th race at the Circuito da Boavista which plays host to the championships Race of Portugal on 5th July.

Chevy achieved their first triple victory at the Circuito da Boavista in 07

Ray Mallock’s Chevrolet squad, who achieved their first triple victory at the Porto circuit in 2007, are hoping to mark this important milestone in the championship’s history by adding to the Cruze’s impressive record on street-style circuits. Rob Huff moved to the WTCC with Chevrolet in 2006 when the series was conceived. He said;

“Porto is a place close to everybody’s heart at Chevrolet, because of our first triple victory in 2007, and we are all excited to be back there. Given what shown by the Cruze on street circuits this year, I think we should perform very well and, provided we qualify well, we can aim at very good results.”

Nicola Larini, Huff’s team-mate in the series, said the Chevy team go to Porto with confidence;

“We know that we can be competitive there and that we can achieve some good results. Still, we do not control all variables and we will have to be extremely focused since the first minute of testing. I personally like the circuit, as it is fast and technical, and it is one of the few street circuits offering some good overtaking points”.