Share ThisThe WTCC is heading towards the final and decisive stint of the 2011 season, as teams and drivers travel to Asia for the three last events in Japan, China and Macau.
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Asian tour starts and so does the final title battle among the Cruze drivers!
Japanese hero Toshi Arai at the wheel of a fourth Cruze at Suzuka
2011-10-14
ZURICH / WELLINGBOROUGH, 15th October 2011 – The WTCC is heading towards the final and decisive stint of the 2011 season, as teams and drivers travel to Asia for the three last events in Japan, China and Macau. The Race of Japan, the first stop in this Asian tour, moves this year to the well known Suzuka Circuit, although the WTCC will be racing on the short (2.2 km) track known as “Eastern track” and not on the GP course.
For the occasion, Chevrolet has prepared a present for the Japanese fans, as a fourth Cruze will be entered for local rally legend Toshi Arai, who had the opportunity to test with the team at the end of September in Pembrey, in the UK.
Logically, all the attention will be focusing on the battle for the Driver’s title, which involves … the three Chevrolet drivers. Yvan Muller has now taken the lead in the overall standings, but Rob Huff is only 16 points behind (with a maximum of 150 still to be awarded) and nothing is done. Alain Menu, is a further 64 points behind, and in the role of the outsider. An exciting battle and some great racing is to be expected, as the three drivers will be free to defend their chances and the only order given by the team is to fight fair and not to hurt the interests of the Chevrolet team…
- QUOTES
Yvan Muller: “It’s always exciting to go to a new circuit, especially when it has the reputation that Suzuka has. I am anxious to be there and to be again at the wheel of the Cruze. I haven’t been driving on a track since the test in Valencia right after the WTCC race, but I have been rallying instead, as I took part in the WRC Rally of France. Unfortunately, we had a mechanical problem on day 1, spent day 2 bringing the car up to the right pace, and were in a position to do well only in the final day, but I am happy with my performance. Suzuka will be new for almost everybody and nobody has data, as we haven’t raced there before, so I think we’ll all be on an equal footing. As everybody else, I guess, I am preparing myself watching track footage on Youtube, although reality will be, of course, very different. The championship battle? I am not thinking much about that, really, my objective is to work well and do the best I can, as always.”
Rob Huff: “I am very excited about being again in a driver seat, especially after a number of weeks of inactivity, where I have been mostly busy with PR activities linked to the Chevrolet Centennial and our win in the Manufacturers’ Championship. Clearly, the aim at Suzuka, will be to put my title bid back on track, but it’s still a long way to Macau…Suzuka will be difficult, especially because we are racing on the short circuit, which seems quite hard, but there is no reason not to be competitive there as well. In fact, the Cruze has always performed very well, and won, on every new circuit…”
Alain Menu: “It’s a long time I have been wanting to race at Suzuka and despite my long career, I never had the opportunity. Now is the time, at last, and I am anxious to check if everything they say about Suzuka is true. Of course, we are racing on the 2.2 km circuit, but it still retains all the initial section and corners of the GP track. I think that, given our level of competitiveness this year, we’ll be OK. I’ll try my best to stay in the race for the title, it’s not going to be easy, but I won’t give up as long as the mathematics give me a chance.”
Toshi Arai: “I am excited and anxious at the same time, as this will be my debut in the WTCC and at the highest level in touring car racing, but determined to do well and help the team. I liked the Cruze very much when I tested it end of September in the UK and I am confident I will adjust quickly.”
Ron Hartvelt: “With the cars in containers, as they travel to Asia, recent weeks have been quieter than usual, but work never stops for the RML team, as we are already actively preparing for 2012. We actually kept the fourth car in Europe and tested in Valencia the Monday and the Tuesday after the race, then we also tested at Pembrey, it was mostly some reliability items and updates for 2012. The fourth car has now been flown to Japan and this is the car that Toshi will be driving. Obviously, Suzuka is a new track for all teams, and we can predict that racing on the 2.2 km circuit will mean a lot of cornering, hence not many overtaking points. This makes qualifying even more crucial. I also understand that the surface is quite abrasive, so it will be hard on tires. No doubt that, with the Drivers’ title battle still open, we are heading for three exciting events in Asia!”
Eric Nève: “Japan is a strategic automotive market and we are happy to see a growing interest for the WTCC. The fact that the event has been moved to a popular track such as Suzuka, proves it. I am sure that having with us in the fourth Cruze a real local star such as Toshi Arai, will be extremely beneficial for the both WTCC and for Chevrolet.”
SUZUKA RACE SCHEDULE (Local time = CET +7 hours)
Friday, 21st October 2011
14.00-14.30 (07.00-07.30 CET) Testing
Saturday, 22nd October 2011
09.30-10.00 (02.30-03.00 CET) Free Practice 1
11.45-12.15 (04.45-05.15 CET) Free Practice 2
15.30-15.50 (08.30-08.50 CET) Qualifying 1
15.55-16.05 (08.55-09.05 CET) Qualifying 2 (Top Ten)
Sunday, 23rd October 2011
08.50-09.05 (01.50-02.05 CET) Warm up
14.35-15.00 (07.35-08.00 CET) Race 1 (23 laps = 51.704 kms) (Rolling start)
15.50-16.15 (08.50-09.15 CET) Race 2 (23 laps = 51.704 kms) (Standing start)
SUZUKA WTCC ON TV
In Europe, qualifying, warm up and the races are be broadcasted live on Eurosport International.
DRIVERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 18 OF 24
1. Y Muller (Chevrolet), 333 points; 2. R Huff (Chevrolet), 317; 3. A Menu (Chevrolet), 253; 4. T Coronel (BMW), 164; 5. G Tarquini (SEAT), 155; … 12. D O’Young (Chevrolet), 43; 14. C Bueno (Chevrolet), 25; ... etc
MANUFACTURERS POINTS STANDINGS AFTER RACE 18 OF 24
1. Chevrolet, 734 points; 2. BMW, 433; 3. SEAT, 393; 4. Volvo, 126.
CHEVROLET RACING AROUND THE GLOBE
In the US, five Chevy boys are in the top ten of the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Kevin Harvick lies second in the overall standings, with Jimmy Johnson (who won the last race, in Kansas) in second, Tony Stewart in 7th, Dale Earnhardt in 9th and Jeff Gordon in 10th. More information can be found on www.nascar.com.
In the UK, the BTCC is coming to an end this weekend, with a grand-finale in Silverstone and five drivers still fighting for the title. Among them is Jason Plato, currently second five points behind the standings leader, after winning two races at the last event at Brands Hatch on his RML Cruze. Paul O’Neill (on the GoMobileUK Cruze) is currently 9th and Alex McDowall 10th. More info can be found on www.btcc.net.
In Argentina, Agustín Canapino brought the Cruze to its second seasonal win in Trelew. The Equipo Oficial Chevrolet driver is now 7th in the overall standings of the TC 2000, with team mate Christian Ledesma 12th. The next and penultimate event is scheduled in Potrero de los Funes, San Luis, on 6th November. More info on www.tc2000.com.ar
In Scandinavia, the STCC season is now over and Chevrolet Motorsport Sweden’s Rickard Rydell was crowned as the new Scandinavian Champion in the championship’s finale in Mantorp Park, giving a new title to the Cruze. More info can be found on www.stcc.se.
