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 Thursday January 08, 2009 |
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WTCC - Round 17 & 18 - VALENCIA - PREVIEW |
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Written by Jeff Seabrook
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Monday October 02, 2006 |
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2006 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC)
Rounds 17 and 18 - 07th/08th October 2006 - Preview
Gripping WTCC title fight continues at the "Circuit de la Comunitat".
Munich, 02nd October 2006. The FIA World Touring Car Championship is entering its decisive stages. This weekend, rounds 17 and 18 of the series are scheduled to take place in Valencia. Following the two races in Spain, the BMW national teams will travel to Macau, where the championship will be decided on 19th November.
However, before the former Portuguese colony will host the season finale, the final event of the WTCC's 2006 European season will be held at the "Circuit de la Comunitat". The situation in the Drivers' Championship could hardly be more exciting and promises thrilling races at the 4.005-kilometre track. BMW Team UK's Andy Priaulx (GBR) is still leading the championship and has 58 points under his belt, despite leaving Istanbul - the venue of rounds 15 and 16 - empty-handed. However, his rivals seized the opportunity to close the points' gap to the reigning champion. Runner-up in the standings is SEAT driver Gabriele Tarquini (ITA), who is just one point behind. Dirk Müller (GER) was also able to score valuable points in Turkey, thus improving his position in the title race. His BMW Team Germany team-mate, Jörg Müller (GER), is lurking in seventh position having scored a total of 46 points.
In the manufacturers' classification, BMW is currently ranked second with 192 points, ten points behind SEAT. The drivers of the BMW national teams want to gain lost ground in Spain. On this mission, the great shape Alessandro Zanardi (ITA) is in could be an important ace up the sleeve. In Istanbul, the 39-year-old claimed victory in the 15th round of the season for BMW Team Italy-Spain, celebrating his second WTCC win after his triumph in Oschersleben last year. Additionally, Duncan Huisman (NLD) is also travelling to Valencia with a big sense of achievement: While his team-mate, Zanardi, won the race, the 34-year-old finished fifth, scoring his maiden four points of the season. Both drivers are full of confidence for their team's home event.
Alessandro Zanardi (BMW Team Italy-Spain):
"My victory in Istanbul was just great. However, Valencia is a completely different challenge. In 2005, I managed to improve from 20th to 8th place in race one. That means overtaking is possible on this track. It's also the home of the Formula BMW Racing Center, where young drivers learn all what is needed for a successful career. I'm already looking forward to the Formula BMW World Final, which will be held in Valencia in late November. On Saturday, I will have a look behind the scenes of BMW ORACLE Racing. I guess it will be pretty exciting to learn more about the work of an America's Cup contender."
Duncan Huisman (BMW Team Italy-Spain):
"Despite being around in motor racing for quite a while, I have never raced in Valencia before. However, unknown tracks don't pose a major problem to professional racing drivers. It just needs a couple of laps before you can push to the limit. I will have a close look at the circuit lay-out and take a walk around the track prior to the first practice session. This is sort of a home event for our team. Therefore, I'm extra motivated to score another good result."
History and background:
Last season, the two drivers from BMW Team Germany took centre stage in the WTCC's rounds in Valencia. Dirk Müller came second in race one, thus making it onto the podium. Jörg Müller secured his third win of the season in front of 52,000 spectators. All five BMW national drivers finished among the top six.
The "Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo", which is the full name of the track, is one of the most modern circuits in Europe. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that apart from the WTCC many other series pay a visit to Valencia over the course of the season. The BMW Sauber F1 Team frequently comes there to conduct testing programmes. Furthermore, the circuit is the home of the Formula BMW Racing Center, where the licence and scholarship courses of the European Formula BMW series have been held since 2001.
Not only the WTCC enjoys visiting Valencia. About 300 days of sunshine per year and low rainfall turn the city into a true magnet for tourists. A glance at the map explains why: Valencia is located right in the centre of the Iberian coast at the mouth of the Turia River. It greets its visitors with a typical Mediterranean climate. Temperatures rarely drop below ten degrees Celsius in winter. The summers are mild due to the sea breeze.
With a population of 850,000, Valencia is Spain's third-biggest city behind Madrid and Barcelona. It is the capital of the province of the same name in the east of the country. 1.8 million people live in the area of this metropolis. A huge variety of sporting activities and a spectacular nightlife turn Valencia into one of the most dynamic places in Spain. In addition, it is among the most booming regions economically in Europe.
Valencia was founded 138 BC by the Romans and was the reason for many disputes among Christians and Arabs over the course of the centuries, who alternately ruled the city.
Today, Valencia is famous as a venue for important sporting events. In 2007, the classic America's Cup will be held there. The BMW ORACLE Racing team will compete for the most prestigious trophy in sailing and the oldest sports trophy in the world. Before the sails will be set, the 2006 Formula BMW World Final takes place. Talented drivers from the four international Formula BMW series fight for title glory - and a Formula One test with the BMW Sauber F1 Team - from 24th to 26th November.
The two WTCC rounds will both be 13-lap races, representing a total distance of 52.065 kilometres per race. Race one will start on Sunday at 15:15hrs local time (14:15hrs BST), race two at 16:25hrs (15:25hrs BST).
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