In the 2014 season of the FIA World Touring Car Championship, the Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy will be reserved for competitors at the wheel of TC2 cars in compliance with the 2013 Technical Regulations.
With the arrival of the more powerful and faster TC1 cars, championship promoter’s Eurosport Events decided to reserve the trophy for the former generation of vehicles, in order to encourage the teams to keep on racing them until more TC1 cars are available on the market for customers.
As a further boost, and thanks to Yokohama’s support, Eurosport Events will propose a euro 40,000 start money to the competitors entered in the Trophy on a full season basis.
The Yokohama Teams’ Trophy remains open to all teams that do not benefit from direct support by a car manufacturer.
In 2013 the Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy was won by James Nash of bamboo-engineering, while RML clinched the Teams’ Trophy

FIRST RUN FOR THE NEW HONDA CIVIC

The new Honda Civic WTCC that will compete in the 2014 FIA World Touring Car Championship successfully completed its first run yesterday.
JAS Motorsport ran the full 2014-spec car during a short shake down session at Varano de’ Melegari’s Riccardo Paletti circuit, near Parma in Italy.
Gabriele Tarquini took the wheel for a few laps and did not report any major technical issue.
The team is now ready to begin next week a proper testing programme in preparation of the new season.

THOMPSON: READY TO CLOSE THE GAP

James Thompson faces his second full season with LADA Sport Lukoil in WTCC.
After some races in 2009 with the Priora and two appearances in 2012 with the new Granta, the Briton led the Russian team during the past season; he claimed the best results ever for LADA (three sixth places at Porto and Suzuka) and was close to finish on the podium at Macau.
Thompson is one of the most experienced touring car drivers around, with a tally of two British Touring Car Championship and two European Touring Car Cup titles. In WTCC he won four races (the first one at the championship’s inaugural event at Monza in 2005) and finished third in the 2007 Drivers’ Championship.

“I’m very excited about the coming season probably more so than ever before as we have continuity as a team, and the new regulations will provide new challenges for both teams and drivers. In particular faster more exciting cars always make a driver happy!”

What do you expect from the new cars in terms of performance and handling?
“I’m sure the extra speed and braking performance, combined with the bigger tyres will have a huge impact on lap times, although it’s difficult to predict if the cars will be significantly more difficult to drive. I have a feeling that the car should be more neutral in its balance and so should be more fun to race.”

Do you reckon that the new regulations will help LADA to improve?
“For us the new regulations represent an opportunity to make a significant step forward in narrowing the gap to our competitors. We are now allowed much more freedom for suspension design, which was a real hindrance for us. But in saying that, we must produce the right solutions and this is why we tested components last year in preparation for 2014. And we know they were a large step in the right direction. On the negative side we will still struggle with the overall wheelbase compared to the rest, but we look forward to the coming years and the new Priora for the next big step forward!”

When will you start testing the full 2014-spec Granta car?
“We plan to start initial testing mid February, the cars will begin the long trip from Togliatti very soon and back to our base at Oreca in Magny-Cours.”

The partnership with Oreca and the arrival of Rob Huff may mark a turning point for LADA.
“I believe LADA’s partnership with Oreca is a great benefit; they are a fantastic company and I have to say we are all a family working hand in hand for a common goal. I use the word family quite a lot as I don’t think many people believe how close knit our small operation is, despite the language barriers. We have worked together on and off, even in adversity, for quite a long time and it’s been a privilege  for me to be here from the very beginning. Now we are really starting to grow up and develop as a team, hence our expansion to three drivers, and welcoming a former world champion into our team is raising our stature once more.”

What do you expect from your competitors in 2014?
“The competition will be fierce, with nobody knowing where they stand I guess till after the first few races. Although on the positive, we will share some tests together pre season, but that’s just really a guide.”

What are your personal ambitions for the upcoming season?
“Well it’s my 20^th year in touring cars, my 40^th birthday coming up and I want nothing more than to see our project move to another level. Yes, I would love to be on the podium whichever step a few times, but the reality is I still love my racing and more importantly I want to see team principal Victor Shapovalov, race engineer Marco Calovolo and the boys achieve what we set out to do: establish LADA as WTCC race winners…”

SÉBASTIEN LOEB’S VISIT TO ARGENTINA

Citroën Racing’s driver Sébastien Loeb spent a few days in Argentina.
The purpose for this visit was to test at Termas de Río Hondo circuit that will host the WTCC Race of Argentina on August 3.
Last Sunday the nine-time World Rally champion completed fifty or so laps at the wheel of the DG MotorSport Peugeot 308 that Facundo Chapur raced last year to clinch the C3 class title in the Turismo Nacional Championship.
After the test, Loeb took advantage from his stay in Argentina for visiting the Rally Dakar. On Monday he met drivers and riders at Salta during the raid’s rest day, and on Tuesday he followed the stage between Calama and Iquique on board of an helicopter.
“It was an amazing experience. I was impressed to see the competitors running at high speed on such uneven grounds. And it is also impressive thinking about their physical effort. During a rally we drive in special stages for a maximum of 40/50 kilometres, then I cannot even conceive how they can drive so fast for more than 400 kilometres…” Loeb said.

PODIUM FOR MÜNNICH MOTORSPORT

The ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport team of René Münnich, Marc Basseng and Rob Huff claimed a brilliant podium result last weekend in the Dubai 24 Hours race.
Sharing a Mercedes-Benz SLS GT3, the trio completed 600 laps and finished second overall, only three laps behind the winning Porsche 997 GT3 R run by Stadler Motorsport.
“It has been a great day for us. The car ran without any problems, therefore I thank the whole team for their great job,” Münnich said.
And Basseng added: “It was our first race together for the three of us. René had a great pace and Rob was fast and efficient as usual. We have been unlucky to receive a few time penalties for something it was not our fault, but in the end the second position is a great achievement for the whole crew.”
Huff completed over ten hours behind the wheel as the team steadily climbed up towards the sharp end of the field after starting from 12^th on the grid.
“I’d like to congratulate my two team-mates, on an incredible result. This really was the perfect way to end a year’s association and sharing the car with such gentlemen was an honour. They both proved that they’re quality drivers. It’s great to achieve such a positive result as a team. It was a fantastic feeling to win for Münnich Motorsport in WTCC and this podium in Dubai proves beyond doubt that my endurance racing capabilities are equal to my touring car capabilities,” the Briton said.

RACING DIVAS WIN CLASS AT DUBAI

The Racing Divas all-female team led by Paulien Zwart, Tom Coronel’s wife, won the A3T class in the Dubai 24 Hour race for the second consecutive year.
Zwart shared a BMW 320D run by Schubert Motorsport with her fellow lady drivers Gaby Uljee, Sandra van der Sloot, Shirley van der Lof and Natasja Smit Sø.
The trio completed 496 laps and left three laps behind the second and third-classified SEAT León cars of Motorsport Services and Prefa Racing Team Australia.
The Racing Divas used this race to raise funds for charity

FIA UNVEILS 2014 ETCC CALENDAR

The 2014 FIA European Touring Car Cup will be run on five race meetings once again.
The first four rounds will be part of World Touring Car Championship weekends, while the fifth will be a stand-alone ETCC event.
The season will kick off at Le Castellet on 20 April and finish at Pergusa on 27 September.

2014 ETCC CALENDAR

20 April                Le Castellet (FRA)
11 May                Slovakia Ring (SVK)
25 May                Salzburgring (AUT)
22 June               Spa-Francorchamps (BEL)
27 September     Pergusa (ITA)

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The Citroën Racing team continues its approaching march to the 2014 FIA World Touring Car Championship.
The French team spent five days of testing at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit with its three drivers – Yvan Muller, Sébastien Loeb and José-María López taking turns at the wheel of a single C-Elysée car.
López opened the test on Friday and Saturday, Loeb took over on Sunday and Monday, while Muller drove on Tuesday. The reigning WTCC champion ran into one of the very rare rainy days of the Arab Emirates.
“With only one hour of completely dry track in the evening, we could not really accomplish all we had planned. So we better focused on the car’s set up and balance,” Muller said.
On Monday evening, at the end of the test, the team invited Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi, World Rally Championship competitor and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Racing, to drive the C-Elysée for a few laps.
Sébastien Loeb is now flying to Argentina for testing at Termas de Río Hondo, at the wheel a car from a local touring car series.

TARQUINI: MANUFACTURERS’ TITLE IS PRIORITY

Gabriele Tarquini is not especially happy to be called the doyen of WTCC.
In 2014 he will turn 52, facing his tenth season in the world championship and his 25^th in touring car racing. And yet, his spirit and ambitions are still those of a young driver.
He is one of the most successful WTCC drivers, with 19 race victories, 17 pole positions, one World title (2009) and three second places (2008, 2010 and 2013) in the Drivers’ Championship.
Now he looks at the 2014 season – his second with Honda Castrol Racing – with clear ideas and his natural optimism.

“It will be interesting. The new technical rules have reshuffled the cards. We all restart from scratch and nobody knows the new scale of values. There is little doubt that Citroën will benefit from an advantage coming from six months of testing that are crucial for fine tuning and reliability. However, they don’t have terms of comparison for the performance, which makes their advantage not so big. And furthermore, they are newcomers in the championship. A very professional team, used to win, but like everybody else they need a period of apprenticeship. Therefore I am confident, because in 2013 we focused on finding the right cohesion in the team between the Japanese and Italian branches. And this will result in a strong, common effort towards victory.”

The Italian is thrilled by the idea of driving the new-spec car.
“More power and speed make a driver happy! Though I don’t feel the new cars will be more difficult to drive, because more sophisticated aerodynamics and suspension, bigger brakes and more tyre on the track will compensate for the increase of power. For sure the cars have gained sex appeal and this may attract new fans, like those who said that the previous generation of cars was too close to the production models. I think that on the track we need to be more cautious in making side-to-side contacts, because the suspension are more fragile. And maybe overtaking will be more difficult because of higher speeds and shorter braking spaces.”

The Honda Castrol Racing team will soon start testing the new car.
“The original plan was to start testing earlier with an hybrid Civic. And finally it was decided to wait for the full new-spec machine, because Honda R&D and JAS Motorsport have enough skill and experience to design and develop a competitive car from a blank page. And I can’t wait to start testing, because I wish to give my contribution in telling the technicians which way to go for the technical development.”

Besides Citroën, Honda will face LADA and the RML-built cars during the season.
“By signing Huff, LADA made clear they want to invest on the championship and the new car. The new technical regulations will help them to compensate for the weak points of the production model. They already had one of the most powerful engines. Now the team has gained experience and they have two top drivers. I bet they will surprise a lot of people. As for RML, they proved they can win without the backing of a manufacturer. I would be very surprise if the new Cruze won’t be on top from the start.”

And what are Tarquini’s ambitions for the coming season?
“I am aware that we face a bunch of strong competitors, especially Citroën’s dream team that benefit from vast resources. However, I don’t feel defeated. I’m still among the fastest drivers and hope I have not… aged too much during this Christmas break. As a matter of fact I still feel very young and fit! My personal goal is to improve last year’s result… that would mean to be World Champion for the second time. But more than this, our priority is winning the Manufacturers’ Championship once again.”

ONYX AND ARLINGTON JOIN FOR WTCC

Onyx Race Engineering and Arlington Industries Group announced they have joined forces to compete in the FIA World Touring Car Championship.
The parties announced they have embarked upon a five year programme to design, manufacture and race in WTCC starting from the 2014 season. The car they will develop in compliance with the new technical regulations and the driver line-up are due to be announced shortly.
Mike Earle, CEO Onyx Race Engineering, commented: “This association is exciting. It is a unique opportunity to assemble such a strong automotive group with the common intention of success in the finest touring car championship in the World.”
Onyx Race Engineering boasts an outstanding record in automobile sports that dates back to the team’s early successes in F3, F2 and Formula 3000 in the Eighties that culminated in Stefano Modena’s title in the 1987 FIA F3000 Championship. Later on, Onyx moved to Formula One for a couple of seasons (1989 and 1990). More recently Mike Earle (pictured) has managed Arena Motorsport campaigns in the British Touring Car Championships and the 2012 WTCC.
Arlington Industries Group is a privately held Industrial Investment Vehicle with interests in Industrial Coatings, Aerospace, and Automotive Manufacturing.

HUFF AIMS FOR VICTORY AT DUBAI

Rob Huff, Marc Basseng and René Münnich team up once again this weekend for the Dubai 24 Hours race.
The trio shares the ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport 2012 FIA GT1-winning Mercedes-Benz SLS GT3 in the A6-Pro class.
Huff – who joined the LADA Sport Lukoil team for the 2014 WTCC – has been eager to expand his horizons by building a career in sportscars racing, having been inspired by his recent success in the 25 Hours of Thunderhill and his upcoming prototype debut in the 24 Hours of Daytona.
“My sportscars campaign is really gathering momentum and will be a fantastic sideline to my full-time programme with LADA Sport in the WTCC,” said Huff. “I had a fantastic season racing with ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport throughout 2013. We surpassed all expectations and I’m delighted to be reuniting with the team for the 24 Hours of Dubai. With their exceptional record of winning the FIA GT1 World Championship title, I believe we can take the victory this weekend.”
Huff, Basseng and Münnich qualified in 12^th position for the race. Better than them was Darryl O’Young who drives a Craft Racing Aston Martin Vantage and will start from seventh on the grid.
Amongst the other competitors in the Dubai 24 Hours are European Touring Car Cup racers Andreas Pfister and Patrick Wolf, who share a SEAT León Supercópa car and set the second fastest lap in the A3T class, just ahead of the Racing Divas Schubert BMW 320D of the all-female team that includes Paulien Zwart, Tom Coronel’s wife.

WTCC CARS GET BACK HOME

The long trip back for the WTCC cars came to an end a few days ago, fifty after the 2013 championship’s final race meeting at Macau.

The cars and parts where shipped from Hong Kong harbour on the 25^th November, the cargo ship docked in Rotterdam only a few days ago and then the containers were shipped to Antwerp.
In the latest two days all the teams have sent their trucks to Antwerp to collect their stuffs and bring everything back to their workshops.

www.fiawtcc.com

2014 appears to be a very important year for the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

On its tenth anniversary season, the WTCC experiences its major turning point since it kicked off at Monza in 2005.

A radical technical evolution, a few important changes in the sporting regulations and new entries in the line-up and the calendar make the next season one of the most interesting in the whole panorama of international motor sports.

The 2014 WTCC will kick off in four-month time at Marrakech, on April 6.

NEW RACING CARS

The major change is the reassessment of the technical specifications. Though the championship remained faithful to its philosophy of making eligible production cars modified for racing, the new rules leave much more freedom to designers and engineers.

The engine is the same 1.6-litre that was adopted three years ago. However, thanks to a larger restrictor (36mm against 33), its maximum output increased by more than 15%.

And yet the biggest changes concern chassis and body. The suspension scheme is no longer linked to the production model’s, but it is specifically designed for racing. The aerodynamic package includes wider fenders, a proper front splitter, a flat bottom and a larger adjustable rear wing; altogether this makes a bigger influence on the car’s set up.

The icing on the cake are the bigger 18” wheels, instead of the 17” used so far.

The final result means a better racing look and a drastic increase in performance on the track that is roughly estimated in 1.5 second per kilometre.

It’s a huge step forward compared to the original 2-litre normally aspirated Super 2000 cars that raced from 2002 to 2010 and delivered less than 300 bhp, against the 380 of the new generation.

The cars complying with the 2014 Technical Regulations have been classified as TC1, while the 1.6-litre machines that competed between 2011 and 2013 will form the TC2 class.

The older 2-litre normally aspirated cars will no longer be eligible.

NEW SPORTING RULES

With each weekend featuring two action-packed sprint races and limited track time, the WTCC is one of the more exciting series for spectators and TV viewers.

However, in observance of the principle that without innovation there is no progress, the FIA and championship promoter Eurosport Events have worked to refresh the Sporting Regulations with the aim of further enhancing the competition on track and the show on air.

With the maintenance of the top-ten reverse grid for the second race, the well established FIA point scoring system and the compensation weight for balancing the different cars’ performance, the major interventions were about start and qualifying.

The rolling start for Race 1 was dropped and now both races will have a standing start.

The Qualifying session was extended with the addition of a Q3 leg reserved for the top-five drivers classified in Q2; they will hit the track one-by-one and complete a single timed lap, to determine the first five positions on the grid for Race 1.

NEW COMPETITORS

The arrival of Citroën as an official Manufacturer in addition to Honda and LADA, enriches the WTCC by a brand that made history in automobile industry.

The French car maker, founded in 1905 by André Citroën, has produced some revolutionary and unforgettable models such as the Traction Avant, the 2CV and the DS.

It may look strange, but although Citroën has also built itself a solid reputation in motor sports since the Fifties of the Twentieth Century, the 2014 WTCC marks its first involvement in an international circuit racing series.

On the other hand, Citroën’s factory teams have claimed a great deal of successes in rally-raids (five World titles and four victories in the Paris-Dakar) and in the World Rally Championship (nine Drivers’ and eight Manufacturers’ titles).

The Citroën Racing team will bring Sèbastien Loeb to WTCC; the nine-time World Rally champion has spent most of the 2013 season in preparation for this task, by successfully competing in the FIA GT series, the French Carrera Cup and the Macau Porsche Cup race.

Funny enough, him and the other WTCC newcomer confirmed so far, Dušan Borković, do not boast long backgrounds in racing. While Loeb built his extraordinary career in rallies, the Serbian driver has been 2011 FIA European Hill Climbing champion before switching last year to the FIA European Touring Car Cup.

NEW RACETRACKS

The 2014 calendar includes two new racetracks: Le Castellet in France and Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.
A WTCC race of France was held five times in previous years, at Magny-Cours in 2005 and 2006, and at Pau from 2007 to 2009. The Circuit Paul Ricard will host the championship for the first time; however it was home to the third – and last – edition of the FIA Touring Car World Cup back in 1995. The WTCC will run on the 3.8km ‘3C’ layout.
Spa is not a new racetrack for WTCC that raced there on its first season in 2005. The circuit located in the region of the Ardennes has a long standing tradition for Touring Car competitions.
The 24 Hours of Francorchamps was reserved for this category in its golden years – from 1964 to 2000 – and was even a round of the first ever World Touring Car Championship in 1987.
Another novelty for 2014 is Suzuka. Although the Japanese track is not a new venue, having hosted WTCC events since 2011, for the first time this year the championship will run on the 5.8km International Circuit – the same used by the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix.
In all the previous visits the WTCC races were held on the 2.2km East Circuit.

2014 WTCC CALENDAR

6 April                  Marrakech (MAR)
20 April                Le Castellet (FRA)
4 May                  Hungaroring (HUN)
11 May                Slovakia Ring (SVK)
25 May                Salzburgring (AUT)
8 June                 Moscow Raceway (RUS)
22 June               Spa-Francorchamps (BEL)
3 August             Termas de Río Hondo (ARG)
14 September     Sonoma (USA)
12 October          Shanghai (CHN)
26 October          Suzuka (JPN)
16 November      Macau (MAC)

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José Maria López will be the third driver to compete for Citroën Racing in the 2014 WTCC alongside Yvan Muller and Sébastien Loeb.
It was announced earlier this week when the French manufacturer unveiled the details of its sporting programmes during a crowded press conference at Citroën Racing technical centre in Versailles.
Team Principal Yves Matton said: “The challenge is very motivating, but we need to learn about everything in this discipline. We feel that we have worked well on the C-Elysée WTCC, even though we have no real basis for comparison given that the regulations are new for all of the competitors. Muller believes the car has been well designed and this has reassured us in terms of the direction we have taken.”
About the impressive trio of drivers, Matton commented: “After spending the last ten years or so at the top of WRC, we are excited about the idea of writing a new chapter in our shared history with Sébastien Loeb. As it was the case in our previous sporting programmes we have attempted to secure the best drivers for our team. Yvan Muller has been heavily involved in development of the car, and has been one the driving forces behind the progress we have made. But we also have high expectations from José Maria López, who has proven to be very comfortable during his first tests…”
López, a multiple winner of Argentine touring car titles, claimed his first WTCC victory on his maiden appearance earlier this year at Termas de Río Hondo. He has already tested the C-Elysée twice at Valencia and Monza.

FOURTH CITROËN FOR CHINESE DRIVER

Citroën Racing will field a fourth car in selected events of the 2014 WTCC, the additional C-Elysée will be entrusted to a Chinese driver.
This was also announced at Versailles, during the launch of Citroën sporting programmes by Arnaud de Lamothe, Director of Marketing, Communications and Sport: “It’s no secret that Chinese market is extremely important for us. And for this reason we have decided to run a fourth car in some events for a Chinese driver. This will be a great help in promoting the Citroën brand and its sporting activity.”
The plan is to field the fourth car in four or five events: Russia, Japan, China, Macau and possibly one in Europe to give the driver the chance to get used to WTCC racing.
The name of the driver will be unveiled later.

PECHITO LÓPEZ: THIS IS A DREAM!

“I am thirilled. This is a new important step in my racing career!” a delighted José María ‘Pechito’ López said after he was presented by Citroën Racing as the third driver in the 2014 WTCC.
“I hope I will be able to help the team in developing and setting up the car so that we do a good job on the track,” said López who managed to win a WTCC race on his maiden appearance, last Summer at Termas de Río Hondo.
“I think that winning that race was instrumental for being invited to test the Citroën at Valencia and Monza. Then other factors contributed to their decision of hiring me, like my professionalism and working method. It’s not only a matter of driving fast.”
López will team up with four-time WTCC champion Yvan Muller and nine-time WRC champion Sébastien Loeb.
“It’s a privilege and an honour to be part of such an impressive team, alongside two monsters like Yvan and Sébastien. I come from Córdoba, a region that is crazy about rally, and to find myself as Loeb’s team-mate is just a dream.”
Pechito is the first Argentine driver to commit in WTCC for the full season. The last time one of his fellow countrymen was in the position to fight for a world title dates back to the 1981 F1 championship, when Carlos Reutemann finished second behind Nelson Piquet.
The only Argentine driver to be sacred World Champion was the legendary Juan-Manuel Fangio who won five F1 titles between 1951 and 1957.

THEY SAID… THEY SAID…

More quotes from Citroën Racing launch at Versailles.

Yves Matton: “It would be pretentious to say that we join WTCC for winning, because we are newcomers. Let’s say that we hope to be able to win races in the second half of the season. Of course winning it’s part of Citroën’s DNA and therefore we compete to win. And the sooner it will happen, the better will be.”

Yvan Muller: “It’s difficult to say if the C-Elysée may be competitive from the beginning. I got the impression that it has been properly designed and is progressing well in the tests. However, the new regulations change all parameters and on top of this the team has no experience in WTCC. We will need an apprenticeship period.”

Sébastien Loeb: “The biggest challenge for me is to be competitive. There are many good drivers in the championship and for the time being I don’t have a clue of my potential. For sure the races I did in the FIA GT and Porsche Supercup have helped me to prepare for the fight on the track. But I still have to learn.”

Yvan Muller: “The new cars are funnier to drive. However I think that drivers will need to be more careful in making contacts, because with the wider tracks it’s easier to damage the suspension. And the larger front splitter means that bumping into another car may affect the aerodynamics. But all considered I am sure that the races will be close and spectacular.”

Sébastien Loeb: “I would be very disappointed if I’m not competitive. That is definitely my goal! I have good expectations for the street circuits, because I have been able to adapt myself quickly when I raced at Pau and Macau. I am sure that having a team-mate like Yvan is an advantage for me.”

LADA SPORT DRIVERS VISIT TOGLIATTI

Yesterday LADA Sport Lukoil drivers James Thompson and Mikhail Kozlovskiy visited Togliatti, LADA’s hometown.
Together with Team Principal Victor Shapovalov, Thompson and Kozlovskiy met AVTOVAZ Group Acting President Oleg Lobanov, Vice-President Sales and Marketing Artyom Fedosov and LADA Chief Designer Steve Mattin.
The party visited LADA R&D centre and LADA Sport production facilities, where they had a first look at the building the new LADA Granta Sport racing cars for the 2014 WTCC. Later they took part in a press conference with local media that was also attended by LADA Head of Marketing Alexander Bredikhin.
Thompson commented: “This was my first visit to LADA R&D and I was very much impressed by the technical facilities. It is great that we are able to use them for testing and improving the racing cars. It is fantastic for the team to have support from the manufacturer. It helps a lot, because we face fierce competition next year in the Manufacturers’ Championship. And our guys are working really hard to build a very competitive new car!”
And Kozlovskiy echoed: “The scale of LADA R&D department makes us confident that our cars will be competitive, because so much engineering power and talent is involved in this process! When the racing pedigree is supported by a great technical potential, this directly enhances the level of the racing team. I am proud that we have such a great engineering and design facility here in Russia. We saw the process of building the new WTCC car and I can’t wait to drive it!”
The team’s third driver, Rob Huff was not able to join his team-mates for the visit.

DID YOU KNOW THIS?

The city of Togliatti (Tolyatti in Russian), where LADA factory is based, lies along the Volga river in the federal province of Samara Oblast, in South-West Russia.
Its foundation dates back to 1737, as a fortress called Stavropol. The old city was covered by water after the building of the Kubyshev dam in 1950s and a new city was built in 1964.
This was named in memory of Palmiro Togliatti, Secretary of the Italian Communist Party, who had been instrumental in establishing the LADA automobile manufacturing plant in collaboration with FIAT.

MIKHAIL KOZLOVSKIY TRAINS RUSSIAN KIDS

LADA Sport Lukoil driver Mikhail Kozlovskiy shares his driving experience with young wannabe racing champions.
Kozlovskiy and his friend – and former team-mate – Eugeny Krasnov have organized a karting school for kids in Saint Petersburg, their home town, where the only Russian driver in WTCC gives a racing course every weekend. Karting is very popular in Russia, and many Russian racing drivers began their racing career in this discipline.
Mikhail Kozlovskiy has a great deal of experience in karting in which he competed since he was a ten-year old boy; he spent six years at the wheel of karts before switching to formula racing and then to touring cars. 
“I am very pleased to share my racing knowledge and experience with young children. We need to grow the racing drivers of the future and develop their skills from early childhood if they want to be successful in racing. Russian motorsport has made a big step forward in the last few years. A lot of circuits have been built and more and more Russian drivers are taking part in international series. It is a fast developing process and I am happy to be part of it, gaining experience in the World Touring Car Championship and sharing it with Russian kids,” said Kozlovskiy.

THE WTCC WELCOMES TIA MULLER!

Many congratulations to Yvan Muller and Justine Monnier for the birth of Tia!

The little girl was born on Wednesday and she promises to be as beautiful as her mother and even faster than his dad; in fact she was delivered a few days in advance.

The whole WTCC family wishes all the best to Tia, her parents and her sister Nina.

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