WTCC heads to season-opener in Curitiba

The 3.7km Curitiba circuit is again hosting the season-opener of the world’s leading touring car series. The championship visited Curitiba for the first time in July 2006; a crowd of 34,000 attended the races that were won by Jordi Gené (SEAT León) and Andy Priaulx (BMW 320si). From 2007 the Brazilian event was moved to March and given the honour of opening the season with BMW Team Germany fellow drivers Jörg Müller and local boy Augusto Farfus sharing victories and the attendance was even larger, with 45,000 spectators. In 2008, SEAT won both races with Yvan Muller and Gabriele Tarquini, and last season, SEAT's Muller and Tarquini again managed to replicate the previous year's victories.

In the points structure, new regulations have also been imposed on this season's WTCC by the competitors in the World Touring Car Championship and the World Motor Sport Council. This new points amendment is aligned with the Formula One Championship and World Rally Championships (WRC). Points will be awarded at each event according to the following scale; 1st: 25 points; 2nd: 18 pts; 3rd: 15 pts; 4th: 12 pts: 5th: 10 pts; 6th: 8pts; 7th: 6 pts; 8th: 4 pts; 9th: 2 pts; 10th: 1 point

Although points will be awarded to the first ten drivers classified in each of the twenty-four championship rounds, this will not affect the top-eight reverse grid for the second race of each event.

Additionally, the compensation Weight system that was introduced in 2009 will determine the running weight of the WTCC cars again, on the basis of lap time calculation. The best lap times of the two fastest cars of each model in qualifying and the two best lap times of the two fastest cars of each model in both races are averaged.

The calculation is based on a three event rolling average, except it is applied for the first time after the first two events. For example, the results of Events 2, 3 and 4 determines the compensation weight for Event 5. All the cars run in the first two events of the season on the minimum weight fixed by the sporting regulations; the weight fixture for BMW is 1155kg, Chevrolet Cruze at 1150kg, Chevrolet Lacetti at 1140kg (as per the -10kg waiver granted by the Touring Car committee), SEAT León TDI is 1170kg and SEAT León TFSI carries 1150kg

The maximum compensation weight is 60 kg and is applied between a maximum of +40 kg to a minimum of -20 kg. When a model's average is within the 0.3-second threshold in relation to the fastest model, no action is taken. If a model is slower than the fastest model by more than 0.3s, 10 kg are deducted from the maximum compensation weight for every complete 0.1s more than the +0.3s threshold, up to a maximum of 60 kg. When a model with less than 60 kg of compensation weight is within 0.3s of the fastest (reference) model, 10 kg are added to the current compensation weight per complete 0.1s within the 0.3s threshold. The fastest (reference) model always carries the maximum compensation weight on board.

Chevrolet has greater expectations for the title this year after a first race season in 2009 in the Cruze. The team realized that the Cruze has reached its full potential and is very positive about the development and fine-tuning work done during the winter. The driver line-up has been strengthened with the addition of former WTCC champion Yvan Muller alongside Rob Huff and Alain Menu, and the entire Chevrolet family is behind its drivers as they finalize preparation for the 2010 campaign.

This season will also see Chevrolets entered for the full-season in the Independents’ Trophy, supported by UK-based Bamboo Engineering, who will run two cars for Chinese driver Darryl O’Young and Briton Harry Vaulkhard.

* Article taken from www.motorsportchannel.com