SEAT Sport is planning to focus its 2012 activities on lending support to the brand’s customers at different national and international championships and on personalizing SEAT models using a range of custom designed accessories.

Several national and international championships will be featuring SEAT cars registered by private teams, who all rely on the technical and commercial support given to customers of SEAT Sport, bringing the number of SEAT cars competing around the world to over 250 units.

In 2012, SEAT Sport’s high-profile collaboration with private teams registered for the WTCC include Special Tuning Racing and Lukoil Racing Team, who have once again placed their trust in SEAT. Three of the four drivers who will be competing this year with SEAT cars made their Touring car race debut at the Supercopa Leon — Tom Boardman, Josep Oriola and Alexander Dudukalo. The fourth driver will be Gabriele Tarquini, World Touring Car Champion in 2009 with SEAT. Customers of the Spanish brand will also be competing at the ETCC and national Touring car events in Spain, with the SEAT Ibiza Trophy organized by V-Line. The Ibiza Cup will be held in Italy and other championships will be raced in Belgium, France, the Dominican Republic, the Czech Republic, Poland and Portugal. Further noteworthy events include the 24 Hours of Barcelona endurance race and several meets held in South America, as well as the popular Supercopa SEAT Leon in France and Mexico.

According to SEAT Sport director Jaime Puig, “SEAT Sport will be featuring heavily in 2012 with full collaboration with all our customers at several types of championships, from track racing to endurance, including increasing presence in both Russia and South America. We will be lending them our technical and commercial support at both championships directly organized by SEAT importers, such as the Supercopa in France and Mexico or the private initiatives of cup and trophy race promoters such as in Italy. As well, we have homologated the 1.6 turbo engine for our customers according to the newest FIA guidelines.

In addition, our commercial activity will continue with the personalization program of SEAT range models with original accessories, which are assembled and installed directly in the SEAT Sport facilities, guaranteeing our customers the highest levels of quality.”

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After achieving all aims set in the World Touring Car Championship, SEAT has newly orientated its motor sports activities for 2010. The Spanish brand will no longer compete with its official team in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). SEAT Sport will focus its activities on customer sports in different championships, ranging from the Independent class participants in the World Touring Car Championship to different national championships. Further focus lies on the SEAT León Eurocup and the Supercopa SEAT León that will take place in even more countries in 2010.

With this strategic change SEAT closes a stage, but continues its satisfactory motor sports activities, having more than accomplished the aims that the brand had set itself when it rejoined international competition. In this period the Spanish car manufacturer obtained thirty victories and two WTCC titles. SEAT did not only achieve one of the greatest successes of motor sports and Spanish sports in 2008 and 2009, but also made history in this field being the first brand to win a championship with a diesel-powered engine. This became possible thanks to the León TDI WTCC created and developed in Martorell.

From now on, SEAT Sport will give maximum support to all those drivers who chose the León TDI WTCC, the fuel-powered León FSI WTCC or the León Supercopa/Eurocup that take part in different championships, from road racing to endurance. The technical evolution that SEAT Sport continues providing from his headquarters in Martorell, will allow the drivers to keep fighting for victories and titles.

Jaime Puig, SEAT Sport Director: ‘After achieving all possible successes with our team in the WTCC, we are now going to focus all our efforts on customer sports in different championships, such as the WTCC, the Eurocup or the Supercopa SEAT León, which will be enjoying a new boost this year with editions in more countries. We are always eager to win when a SEAT is on the track and to do so, SEAT Sport will provide all of our customers with the necessary technical support.’

Dominik Hoberg, SEAT Communications Director: ‘SEAT will continue with a noteworthy presence in motor sports in 2010, with a team of highly qualified professionals of which we are particularly proud of, but the company will have a different approach as regards to its motor sports activity. The presence of our cars in different championships and countries will continue to be a major value to strengthen our brand image.’

- SEAT Sport

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1. WTCC: SEAT Sport rebuilds Yvan Muller and Gabriele Tarquini’s cars after crashes in Macau

You're reading SEAT Sport announces its withdrawl from the WTCC originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

Tiago Monteiro is hoping to get a renewed contract with SEAT for 2010. The Spanish manufacturer is yet to reveal its plans, but a seriously downscaled program is expected to be announced shortly.

‘Basically, SEAT Sport is not sure what is going to happen,’ Monteiro said to Autosport.

‘Everybody at SEAT Sport wants it to go on and wants to do something – they have 100 people there, they have the cars, the people, the materials – everything is there.

All the driver contracts finish at the end of December, so we are all free agents. Everybody wants to go on, but nobody knows what to do,’ said Monteiro.

New rules are going to be introduced for 2011 and Monteiro believes that 2010 is going to be a transition year.

‘Still my main objective is to try and stay in the WTCC, and especially I would love to stay with SEAT. I really believe in the brand, but I also feel at home there. So I would like to stay. And also, in 2011 I think there will be a rebirth [in the WTCC – new rules, you’ll have new manufacturers, and we also have a strong belief that SEAT will come back strongly.

So 2010 is basically a transition year, and everybody just needs to survive,’ said Monteiro.”

- TouringCarTimes

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As they say, champions show why they are champions when it matters. Gabriele Tarquini did just that last weekend at Macau. A huge crash, a visit to the hospital, a new engine and starting middle of the pack, Tarquini’s odds were against him. He prevailed in the end.

Gabriele Tarquini is the most veteran of the drivers on the WTCC grid. And not only does he like it but boasts about it to his rivals. At the age of 47 but with the enthusiasm and drive of a beginner, Gabriele Tarquini becomes the seventh Italian world champion in history eighteen years after Teo Fabi and beforehand Nino Farina, Alberto Ascari, Mauro Baldi, Roberto Ravaglia and Massimo Biasion. He has also marked a spectacular record, since at his 47 years of age, he is the most veteran champion in motor sports history, passing even Juan Manuel Fangio.

A very fast, intuitive driver, capable of turning any racing moment to his advantage and able to get the most out of his car at all times, Gabriele has the knack of getting on extremely well with anyone. His empathy and cordiality with all those around him enable him to fit perfectly into any team situation. He came to the SEAT family in 2006 after forging a tremendous reputation for himself as a driver in prestige events like the British, German and of course the Italian Touring Car Championships. Prior to this he had been a Formula 1 driver for several years, but never managed to find a car equal to his driving skills.

In a SEAT León WTCC in his first season he got his first win at Istanbul, by overtaking his teammate Peter Terting on the very last bend. He took fifth position overall in the championship.

His second win with SEAT came at 2007 at Zandvoort in the purest Tarquini style, and it was also the first time that Gabriele showed the team just how much he could contribute. Temperatures were lower than expected, and Gabriele knew that his tyres would not wear down as rapidly; so he realised that all he had to do was fend off attacks from his rivals over the first few laps for them to wear down their tyres, leaving him free from attack in the second half of the race.

And he has been consistent in this approach throughout his career, showing immense skill in turning any race opportunity – unseen at the right moment by his rivals – to his advantage. His intuition enables him to exploit the weaknesses of his adversaries while squeezing the last drop out of his own resources. His engineers always highlight his capacity to conjure up opportunities where none existed by taking his tyres right up to their useful limits.

In 2008 he was WTCC runner-up to teammate Yvan Muller, having notched up wins in such diverse races as Curitiba, Brno and Monza. He also played a major role in winning the WTCC Manufacturers’ title for SEAT. This season his crowning achievement is the title of World Champion, the result of wins in Curitiba, Oporto and Imola, plus five pole positions (three of them in a row) – a record for the season.

He is a meticulous driver with an eye for detail. His inseparable track engineer, Giancarlo Bruno, relates of him that on one occasion after clocking up a bad qualifying time, he came into boxes annoyed because the radio was not working properly. In spite of being under time pressure, he had it repaired, unhappy that something was not in good working order. With the radio now fixed, he went back onto the track and …. got pole position !!

He is a great football fan and follower of Milan. When his team has a match, he does everything in his power to get to see it, wherever in the world he happens to be.

That said, his priorities have changed somewhat lately, and now top of the list are 4-year-old Gulia and 3-year-old Matteo, his children with wife Beatrice, and whose names he carries with him in every race printed on his helmet.

Date and place of birth: 2.3.1962, Giulianova, Terano (Italy)

Championship titles

• 2009: World Touring Car Champion (3 wins – Curitiba, Oporto and Imola. SEAT León TDI)
• 2008: Runner-up, WTCC (3 wins – Curitiba, Brno and Monza. SEAT León TDI WTCC)
• 2007: 8th, WTCC (1 win – Zandvoort)
• 2006: 5th, WTCC (1 win – Istanbul. SEAT León WTCC)
• 2005: 7th, WTCC

?

• 2004: 3rd, ETCC
• 2003: 1st, ETCC

?

• 2002: ETCC

?

• 2001: 3rd, ESTCC
• 2000: 6th, BTCC

?

• 1996: Intercontinental Touring Car Championship
• 1995: BTCC and German DTM

?

• 1994: Champion, BTCC
• 1993: 3rd, ITCC
• 1987-1992: Formula 1 World Championship
• 1985: 5th, European F3 Championship
• 1975-1984: Go-karting

- SEAT Sport

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You're reading WTCC: At 47 Gabriele Tarquini wins his long awaited championship title originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

[topsy_retweet_small] Talk about coming down to the wire, crashes and your two top drivers heading to the hospital. That is exactly what one would not want during a championship weekend but that exactly what SEAT Sport was handed.

Miraculously, SEAT overcame all this and won the Manufacturers’ World Championship, the Drivers’ World Championship and the Independents’ Trophy.

Race report and gallery after the jump.

• Spectacular success for the Spanish make topping the drivers’ and manufacturers’ standings for the second year in a row.
• Gabriele Tarquini, SEAT driver, new World Touring Car Champion. Yvan Muller becomes championship runner-up.
• SEAT Sport achieves all aims after an extremely hard season.

Absolute success for SEAT in the 2009 World Touring Car Championship. The SEAT Sport team achieved today all of its aims at the urban racetrack of Macau, venue of the last round of the season, clinching the Manufacturers’ World Championship and the Drivers’ World Championship for the second year in a row, and also the Independents’ Trophy. SEAT and Gabriele Tarquini are the 2009 champions, Yvan Muller finished runner-up and Tom Coronel took the Independents’ Trophy, meaning that SEAT has been able to win with two different cars, the Leon TDI and the Leon WTCC, beating BMW, Chevrolet and Lada in the manufacturers’ championship.

SEAT, who was defending this year the two world titles achieved last season, achieves one of the biggest successes for Spanish sports in 2009, with a triumphant finish after a very difficult season, marked by the difficulties stemming from several regulation changes during the season which limited the possibilities of the SEAT León TDI. However, all of these changes did not hinder a triumphant finish, thanks to the effort and team work of all SEAT Sport team members.

This spirit has been essential in a very complicated weekend. On Friday, Gabriele Tarquini and Yvan Muller, champion and runner-up, finished the qualifying session in hospital after sustaining a serious accident which left their cars quite battered. After the efforts of the mechanics to have the cars ready for the race, the five drivers of the team carried out a perfect strategy today to secure the double victory.

In the first race, an impeccable start by Tiago Monteiro, Jordi Gené and Gabriele Tarquini, allowed the SEAT drivers to control the situation from the second, third and fourth position, without taking risks for the victory and scoring the points needed to secure the first of the titles. Tarquini finished the race second, ahead of Gené, with Yvan Muller fifth and Monteiro sixth. This result awarded one of the two SEAT drivers mathematically with the title already.

The second race was even more tactical, with Yvan Muller on third position, followed by Monteiro and Gené, and with Gabriele Tarquini recovering positions and moving up to sixth. Gené was slightly touched which allowed Tarquini to pass him, leaving the SEAT in formation, keeping their positions. An accident in the back of the pack forced the race to be red-flagged two laps before the finish, thus confirming SEAT’s and Gabriele Tarquini’s triumph.

In the Independents’ Trophy, Tom Coronel won the first race, which awarded him the title mathematically, his second title in this class with SEAT.

With his victory, Gabriele Tarquini becomes the seventh Italian world champion in history eighteen years after Teo Fabi and beforehand Nino Farina, Alberto Ascari, Mauro Baldi, Roberto Ravaglia and Massimo Biasion.  He has also marked a spectacular record, since at his 47 years of age, he is the most veteran champion in motor sports history, passing even Juan Manuel Fangio.

For the Spanish make, this is the fifth world title after those achieved in rallies in 1996, 1997 and 1998 with the Ibiza Kit Car and the four titles of the World Touring Car Championship clinched in 2008 and 2009 with the León TDI WTCC.

Gabriele Tarquini: ‘It is amazing to clinch the title after such a long sports career. I started the weekend with some trouble, but I was able to recover and the extraordinary work of my mechanics made it possible for me to take part in a race that meant a unique opportunity for me which I simply could not miss. It’s been a very hard championship, very intense, and in order to win over two rivals who are as strong as Yvan Muller and Augusto Farfus, it’s been essential to score many points in all races.

Jaime Puig, SEAT Sport Director: ‘Winning two championships for the second year in a row is the reward for a fantastic year and I want to thank the whole team for their effort, their great capacity for work and their solidarity. The races in Macau have shown that we are a team in which everybody works for everybody. After the two championships achieved last year, we wanted to take at least one of the titles this year, and we took them both. It’s been an extraordinary result.’

Classifications

Race 1: 1. R.Huff (Chevrolet); 2. G.Tarquini (SEAT León TDI); 3. J.Gené (SEAT León TDI); 4. A.Menu (Chevrolet); 5.Y.Muller (SEAT León TDI); 6. T.Monteiro (SEAT León TDI); 7.J.Muller (Chevrolet); 8. A.Farfus (BMW); 9. A.Zanardi (BMW);…11. R.Rydell (SEAT León TDI)

Race  2: 1. A.Farfus (BMW); 2. J.Müller (BMW); 3. Y.Muller (SEAT León TDI); 4.T.Monteiro (SEAT León TDI); 5. G.Tarquini (SEAT León TDI); 6. J.Gené (SEAT León TDI); 7. N.Larini (Chevrolet); 8. R.Huff (Chevrolet); 9. A.Zanardi (BMW); 10. R.Rydell (SEAT León TDI);

Manufacturers standings: 1. SEAT, 314 points. 2. BMW, 311 p. 3. Chevrolet, 215 p. 4. Lada, 83 p.

Drivers standings: 1. G.Tarquini (SEAT) 127 points. 2. Y.Muller (SEAT) 123 p. 3. A.Farfus (BMW) 113 p. 4. A.Priaulx (BMW) 84 p. 5. R.Huff (Chevrolet) 80 p. 6. J.Muller (BMW) 76 p.7. R.Rydell (SEAT), 64 p. 8. J.Gené (SEAT) 48 p. 9. T.Monteiro (SEAT) 44 p. 10. A.Menu (Chevrolet) 39 p.

- SEAT Sport

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You're reading Tarquini and SEAT take the WTCC Championships in a wild weekend at Macau originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

With the final race here, SEAT Sport was looking at both a drivers title and a very close manufacturer title. 3pts seperate SEAT from BMW in the manufacturers chase and Tarquini has 2pt lead over teamate Muller with Augusto Farfus 11pts down to Muller.

With that said, the accidents of both the top points leaders put the whole race into a different light. Muller qualified 7th with Targquini in 8th. SEAT did change Tarquini’s engine but due to rules he will stay in 8th position. Both were checked in at the hospital and released.

Macau is an insanely tight circuit. Walls and cars do not mix well. Starting 6 cars back, it will be a huge challenge to move up and stay safe.

Yvan Muller running a very tight line Photo: WTCC

The practice session of the WTCC’s last round that will be raced next Sunday in Macau has been extremely difficult for the SEAT Sport team. The practices in Macau are traditionally held on Friday and after an excellent first session, in which the five SEAT managed to qualify for Q2, the definitive qualifying session with the ten fastest cars, Yvan Muller and Gabriele Tarquini, the two title contenders, where hampered by an accident. They both had to be taken to hospital with minor injuries. Jordi Gené and Tiago Monteiro qualified fourth and fifth fastest as the best positioned SEAT for the first race on Sunday.

Thompson’s LADA obtained terminal damage Photo: WTCC

The accident sustained by Yvan and Gabriele happened as a consequence of the engine breakdown of James Thompson’s Lada during Q1. In order to clean the oil that had been left on the track, the organisation used a lot of absorbing dust that remained on the track without any warning sign. After the start of Q2 the first participants raised a big cloud of dust that left Yvan Muller completely in the dark and made him crash against the protection barriers. Gabriele Tarquini was right behind him and could not avoid crashing against his team mate. Both drivers were taken to hospital, but the checks have not shown any fracture or serious injury, just some blows due to the accident.

The wreckage of D’Aste’s car Photo: WTCC

With Rydell out due to a minor breakdown, SEAT’s hopes were all pinned on Gené and Monteiro, who went onto the track to eventually set the fourth and fifth fastest time at the end of the session which was marked by a lack of light due to the delays. SEAT’s options got complicated, but the aspirations are intact since the cars will be repaired without problems on Saturday. The goal of the team is to clinch one of the two titles that will be at stake on Sunday from five o’clock in the morning (CET).

Classification:
1. R.Huff (Chevrolet), 2’32”141; 2. A.Priaulx (BMW), 2’32”483. 3. A.Farfus (BMW), 2’33”033. 4. . J. Gené (SEAT León TDI), 2’33”136; 5º T.Monteiro (SEAT León TDI), 2’33”323; 7. Y.Muller (SEAT León TDI), S.T.; 8. G.Tarquini, (SEAT León TDI), S.T. 10. R.Rydell, (SEAT León TDI

TV Schedule: Both races will be broadcasted live by Eurosport at 5.00 and 6.00h (CET)

- SEAT Sport

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After a long season starting 8th March in Brazil – and in which SEAT Sport has been the major player – the World Touring Car Championship will host the last race in Macau on 22nd  November. The SEAT team and its five drivers are leading the field in the run-up to the last race in what has been one of the most exciting seasons on WTCC record. Gabriele Tarquini, Yvan Muller and Augusto Farfus are fighting the Drivers’ championship out between themselves, with a13-point gap between them and 20 points left to race for. SEAT is 3 points clear of BMW, 36 points being the maximum score possible.

Figures show that SEAT has never had a win at Macau, though it was there that the Spanish brand and driver Yvan Muller proclaimed themselves World Champions last year. The team’s overarching aim is to buck the trend, and not only to win the race but carry off world titles as happened in 2008. The initial aim at the start of the season was to win one of the championships, but all team members’ sights are now firmly set on winning both.

The race setting itself adds to the difficulty of the challenge. The Macau urban circuit combines high-speed straights with slow bends and very tight corners. Overtaking is very difficult and the crash barriers allow the drivers no room for error. That is why classification will be paramount, something that the team has been adamant about in the final races of the season. The three consecutive pole positions at Oschersleben, Imola and Okayama were the result of this sports strategy, enabling the five drivers to get in the Q2 for the last two races – crucial to go on to the first race with a guarantee of success. And this will be the starting point for the final WTCC race. Following tradition at Macau, the qualifying rounds will be held on Friday, and the races on Sunday.

SEAT Sport Director Jaime Puig: ‘We have never won at Macau, so this is the best opportunity to do so for the first time. In such a close-run championship as this one, with ten cars all within a second of each other, winning one title is a great achievement in itself. But the full team will put go all out to win the two, and in view of the rule changes brought in during the year, that would be an absolutely outstanding result. I am convinced that teamwork will enable Gabriele Tarquini and Yvan Muller to strengthen their positions against Augusto Farfus in order to carry off the drivers’ title.’

In the Independents’ Trophy, Tom Coronel reaches this final races leading the standings with 30 points ahead of Felix Porteiro in second place. Due to Macau Trophy races score twice, Coronel will have to ensure a good result to win a title that he also won in 2006 with the SEAT León WTCC.

Race schedule (- 7 hours CET)

Thursday 19th November
12.20 – 12.50: Testing (5.20 – 5.50 CET)

Friday 20th November
8.45 – 9.15: Free Practice 1 (1.45 – 2.15 CET)
12.15 – 12.45: Free Practice 2 (5.15 – 5.45 CET)
15.50 – 16.40: Qualifying Practice (8.50 – 9.40 CET)

Sunday 22nd November
7.50 – 8.05: Warm Up  (00.50 – 01.05 CET)
12.05: First race. Nine laps with rolling start. (5.05 CET)
13.25: Second race. Nine laps with standing start. (6.25 CET)

Minimum weights and compensation for participating cars.

SEAT León TDI: 1,170kg + 40kg ballast = 1,210kg.
SEAT gasoline: 1,170 kg – 20 kg ballast = 1,150kg.
BMW: 1,155kg. + 40kg ballast = 1,195kg.
Chevrolet Cruze: 1170kg + 10kg ballast = 1.180kg.
BMW (private): 1180kg.
Lada Priora: 1,170 Kg. – 20kg ballast = 1,150kg.

(The BMWs have been given a special dispensation by the FIA to compete carrying 15kg less weight than the SEAT León TDI.)

- SEAT Sport

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You're reading WTCC: Decisive race on Macau urban circuit for SEAT Sport originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

Unfortunately, we had a busy weekend with the holiday and were not able to keep up with the WTCC and Asian Le Mans races. Before heading into this weekend at Okayama, SEAT was already looking for a tough one as the track was well suited towards the RWD cars. Take that and add some poor weather and you may be looking at loss. SEAT was able to maintain their lead in both driver and manufacturer points races. The WTCC will now head to Macau in a few weeks. This is one track I loathe in games on the Xbox360.

Under extremely adverse weather conditions, SEAT contested the two races of the World Touring Car Championship staged today at the Japanese Okayama racetrack achieving the aims set and keeping the lead in the championship. The last meeting of the calendar, which will be held in Macau on November 22nd, will decide on the two world titles of the 2009 season.

Despite the layout, which is more favourable to rear-wheel drive cars, the SEAT Sport team was able to maintain all their options intact, especially as regards the drivers’ standings with Tarquini and Muller on the two top positions and the highest expectations for the last race of the year. Gabriele was not lucky today, while Yvan, with a consistent and efficient drive, as well as a podium finish in the second race, placed himself one step from the leadership.

After the race in Japan, Tarquini keeps the leadership in the drivers’ standings with 115 points, two ahead of Muller who has 113. Third on the list is Augusto Farfus with 102 points. These three drivers will be fighting for the title in Macau. As regards the manufacturers’ standings, SEAT is still in the lead, but the advantage over BMW has been cut down to three points.

The bad conditions on the track due to the rain caused several incidents in both races which affected especially the SEAT drivers. In the first race, Tarquini, who was starting from pole, went off the track and was set back to eighth. Rickard Rydell who took over the lead, touched Jorg Muller and was forced to enter the pits and rejoin the race a couple of minutes later. Andy Priaulx took the lead then, followed by Jorg Muller, with Jordi Gené on third, although he finally finished sixth behind Yvan Muller and Gabriele Tarquini, who continued the race with especial care in order to score as many points as possible.

The incidents, with many more cars involved, continued during the second race behind an intense rain curtain. Monteiro who started from pole, was pushed off the track by Jorg Muller, while Tarquini was forced to go wide to avoid touching other drivers. Gabriele lost a large part of his options in this incident rejoining the track on seventeenth position but started a spectacular recovery which allowed him to finish seventh, thanks also to the good job made by Gené and Rydell.

Classifications

Race 1:
1. A.Priaulx (BMW) 32:18.887
2. J.Muller (BMW) + 0.484
3. R.Huff (Chevrolet) + 2.552
4. Y.Muller (SEAT) + 12.066
5. G.Tarquini (SEAT) + 15.757
6. J.Gené (SEAT) + 17.131
7. T.Monteiro (SEAT) + 18.693
8. A.Farfus (BMW) + 25.403
9. A.Menú (Chevrolet) + 28.163
25. R.Rydell (SEAT) 2 laps

Race 2:
1. A.Farfus (BMW) 26:55.015
2. A.Priaulx (BMW) + 0.761
3. Y.Muller (SEAT) + 3.298
4. A.Menú (Chevrolet) + 5.878
5. N.Larini (Chevrolet) + 13.725
6. R.Huff (Chevrolet) + 17.538
7. G.Tarquini (SEAT) + 24.104
8. R.Rydell (SEAT) + 26.212
9. J.Gené (SEAT) + 27.272
DNF: T.Monteiro (SEAT).

World Touring Car Standings

Drivers:
1.Gabriele Tarquini, 115 points
2.Yvan Muller, 113
3.Augusto Farfus, 102
4.Andy Priaulx, 84
5.Robert Huff, 69
6.Jorg Muller, 66
7.Rickard Rydell, 64
8.Jordi Gené, 39
11.Tiago Monteiro, 36

Manufacturers:
1. SEAT, 289 points
2. BMW, 286
3. Chevrolet, 192
4. Lada, 84

- SEAT Sport

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You're reading SEAT Sport continues leading the WTCC after Okayama originally posted on oneighturbo.com. If you've enjoyed this article, be sure and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and YouTube.

The SEAT Sport team is faced with a difficult challenge in the last but one 2009 WTCC series of races to be held on November 1st at the Okayama circuit in Japan. Though the track favours rear-wheel drive vehicles, all team members are leaving for Japan determined to come out of the race still at the head of the field so as to be in the best possible position for the final races in Macau. This determination is the result of the two victories in Imola at the last European WTCC race which consolidated the Spanish brand’s leadership.

Gabriele Tarquini and Yvan Muller currently head the Drivers’ Championship, while SEAT at the head of the Manufacturers. Tarquini has 109 points, followed closely by Muller with 102, with Augusto Farfus, their most immediate rival, at 91. With 40 points still up for grabs, there is little doubt that the title play-off will be between SEAT and BMW drivers – and with little room for manoeuvre in the event of mistakes.

Gabriele Tarquini is very focussed on the most effective tactic for the team: ‘I think the SEAT drivers need to be more on the defensive than in Imola, where we went all-out to attack, because the track is not so favourable for our cars. My personal target is to get as many points as possible for the team’. Feelings which are shared by Yvan Muller, who also adds that the weather will be a determining factor in the race: ‘Our overarching aim is to give SEAT the best possible options for carrying off the Manufacturers’ Championship, and then we’ll start thinking about the drivers’. The Okayama track is difficult and completely unpredictable because of the constantly changing weather conditions, so making any kind of prediction as to the result is difficult’

In the Manufacturers’ category, SEAT leads with 271 points, followed by BMW at 250 points; both Chevrolet (175 points) and Lada (78) are out of the championship running. The most points an individual brand is awarded stands at 18 per race, so that there are still 72 points to be fought for (two races in Japan and 2 in Macau); thus it is unlikely that the championship will be decided after the first Asian race.

The 3703-metre-long Okayama circuit lies close to the city of the same name and is about 200 km from Osaka. The originally private track was reconditioned in 1994 to accommodate Formula 1 races, and was thereafter certified for international motor racing competition. It lies in a valley surrounded by thickly-wooded mountains, making rainy races very likely. This was the case last year, and was the determining factor in the victories by Rickard Rydell in his diesel SEAT León TDI and Tom Coronel in his petrol-engine SEAT León.

Schedule (- 8 hours CET Time)

Friday, 30th October
15.30 – 16.00: Testing (7.30 – 8.00 CET)

Saturday, 31st October
8.30 – 9.00: Free Practice 1 (00.30 – 1.00 CET)
11.10 – 11.40: Free Practice 2 (3.10 – 3.40 CET)
16.00 – 16.35: Qualifying Practice (8.00 – 8.35 CET)

Sunday, 1st  November
8.00 – 8.15: Warm-Up  (00.00 – 00.15 CET)
13.55: 1st race. 14 laps (flying start). (5.55 CET)
16.05: 2nd race. 14 laps (standing start). (8.05 CET)

Minimum weights and compensation for participating cars.

SEAT León TDI, 1170 kg. + 40kg. ballast = 1210 kg.
SEAT petrol engine, 1170 kg. – 0 kg. ballast =  1170 kg.
BMW, 1155 Kg. + 40 kg. ballast = 1195 Kg.
Chevrolet Cruze: 1170 kg. + 30 Kg. ballast= 1200 Kg.
BMW (private): 1180 Kg.
Lada 110 1170 Kg. – 20 Kg. ballast = 1150 Kg.

(The BMWs have been given a special dispensation by the FIA to compete carrying 15kg less weight than the SEAT León TDI.)

- SEAT Sport

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The SEAT Sport team has achieved an excellent 1-2-3 result in the qualifying session for the first of two races of the World Touring Car Championship that will be staged tomorrow at the Italian circuit of Imola. Gabriele Tarquini, Yvan Muller and Rickard Rydell have taken their SEAT León TDI to the top three positions, with Tiago Monteiro fifth and Jordi Gené eighth.

The SEAT Sport drivers have led the free sessions with Tarquini and Gené, as well as Q1, taking the top five positions with Yvan Muller on top. In the definitive session, the drivers followed the instructions received from the pit wall, taking relays and making sure that those drivers with a better position in the overall standings get a better place on the grid.

The efforts of Monteiro and Gené, who finished a bit further in the back on the grid in order to favour their team mates, may also bear fruit. We should not forget that the second race starts with the eighth top drivers from the first race in reverse order, so that having a driver close to that lower positions can also be a good tactical option.

Tom Coronel was the best qualifier of the four SEAT León TSFI among the independent drivers, finishing 17th, ahead of Mehdí Bennani (18th), Tom Boardman (21st) and Andrea Larini (22nd).

Despite the excellent result achieved today, the statements of Tarquini, Muller and Rydell have been very prudent. For all of them, the main aim is scoring points. ‘I’m still convinced that the title will be decided in Macao – said Tarquini – but it is evident that the pole is the best way to face tomorrow’s race’. This opinion is shared by Muller: ‘The five cars have been perfect and the most important for tomorrow is to score points, not to fight against Gabriele’. Rydell has set another important aim for the team: ‘Score as much points as possible in Imola in order to reach Okayama with advantage enough for the championship’.

Classification:

1. G.Tarquini (SEAT León TDI), 1’55’530
2. Y.Muller (SEAT León TDI), 1’55’726
3. R.Rydell (SEAT León TDI), 1’55’891
4. R.Huff (Chevrolet), 1’56’044
5. T.Monteiro (SEAT León TDI), 1’56’252
6. A.Priaulx (BMW) 1’56’286; 7. A.Farfus (BMW), 1’56’317.
8. J. Gené (SEAT León TDI), 1’56’418.

TV Schedule: Both races will be broadcasted live by Eurosport at 12.30h and 14 30h and by Teledeporte the first race live at 12.45h and the second recorded at 16.30h.

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