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 competing in these two teams 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.

They will all be driving at the wheel of the SEAT Leon equipped with the 1.6 T engine which has recently been homologated according to the newest FIA guidelines.

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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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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

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• 2004: 3rd, ETCC
• 2003: 1st, ETCC

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• 2002: ETCC

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• 2001: 3rd, ESTCC
• 2000: 6th, BTCC

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

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• 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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