Everything about World Touring Car Championship totally explained
The
World Touring Car Championship (
WTCC) is an international
Touring Car championship organized by the
FIA.
The first WTCC, which was open to
Group A Touring Cars, was held in 1987 concurrent to the long-running
European Touring Car Championship (ETCC). Additional rounds were held outside Europe at
Bathurst in Australia,
Calder Park Raceway in Australia (using both the road course and the then newly constructed Thunderdome),
Wellington in New Zealand and
Mount Fuji in Japan. The Drivers Championship was won by
Roberto Ravaglia in a
BMW M3 and the Entrants Championship was won by the Eggenberger Texaco Ford No 7 entry, which was a Ford Sierra. The WTCC lasted only one year and was a victim of its own success - the FIA feared it would take money away from Formula 1 and stopped sanctioning the Championship.
In 1993, with the high popularity of the
Supertouring category, the FIA hosted the FIA World Touring Car Cup - an annual event for touring car drivers hailing from national championships all over the world. The 1993 race at
Monza was won by
Paul Radisich, at the wheel of a Ford Mondeo with no manufacturer title awarded. The race was run for two more years, (won by Paul Radisich again in 1994 at
Donington Park in a Ford Mondeo, manufacturer title went to BMW, and
Frank Biela in 1995 at
Paul Ricard in an Audi A4 Quattro, and manufacturer title went to Audi) before disappearing into obscurity.
In 2001, the ETCC was resumed with support from the FIA. At the request of interested manufacturers, it was changed to the current WTCC beginning with the 2005 season, and is now considered the third most important FIA championship after
Formula One and the
World Rally Championship.
With rounds at major prestigious circuits, the series is heavily supported by car manufacturers
BMW,
Chevrolet and
SEAT, with
Alfa Romeo also involved. It features compact and midsize cars based on
Group N rules, yet modified to
Super 2000 regulations, an intermediate level between the slightly modified Superproduction cars and the extinct Supertouring class.
Following the trend of recent FIA rules, cost control is a major theme in the technical regulation. Engines are limited to 2000
cc. Many technologies that have featured in production cars are not allowed, including
variable valve timing,
variable intake geometry,
ABS brakes and
traction control.
Guernseyman
Andy Priaulx is the current series champion, and has now won three consecutive titles in the category, in addition to the
ETCC title as it was in its prevoius format in 2004. This now means he's won 4 consecutive FIA touring car titles making him one of the most successful touring car drivers the sport has ever known.
Previous champions
Further Information
Get more info on 'World Touring Car Championship'.
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