Diminished entries for WTCC

The FIA has published the entry list for the 2010 World Touring Car Championship. The grid is down to twenty cars, following the withdrawal of the Seat and Lada works teams and a reduction in the BMW factory effort from five to two cars.  The Spanish manufacturer however remains committed to supporting privateers running the Leon.

By contrast organisers are surprised at the absence of Lada, as only last year it committed to a three-year programme.  Perhaps it would have been more surprising if the Russian manufacturer had decided to participate, given its circumstances.  Lada’s parent company Avtovaz was facing bankruptcy, its problems caused by dramatically reduced demand and mounting debts.  Only a bail-out by Renault and the Russian state in November 2009 kept it going.

Gabriele Tarquini, who at 47 was the oldest World Champion ever when he won the WTCC title in 2009, will be returning to defend his title, driving a diesel Seat Leon run by SR-Sport.  Three-time champion Andy Priaulx will again be at the wheel of his BMW 320si, doubtless hoping he’ll be better able to challenge the Seats in 2010.


The full entry list is:

1 SR-Sport / Gabriele Tarquinii (ITA) / SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI
2 SR-Sport / Tom Coronel (NED) / SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI
3 SR-Sport / Tiago Monteiro (POR) / SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI
4 SR-Sport / Jordi Gene (ESP) / SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI
5 Zengo-Dension Team / Norbert Michelisz (HUN) / SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI
6 Chevrolet / Yvan Muller (FRA) / Chevrolet Cruze LT
7 Chevrolet / Robert Huff (GBR) / Chevrolet Cruze LT
8 Chevrolet / Alain Menu (SUI) / Chevrolet Cruze LT
10 BMW Team RBM / Augusto Farfus (BRA) / BMW 320si
11 BMW Team RBM / Andy Priaulx (GBR) / BMW 320si
15 Liqui Moly Team Engstler / Franz Engstler (GER) / BMW 320si
16 Liqui Moly Team Engstler / Andrei Romanov (RUS) / BMW 320si
17 SUNRED Engineering / Michel Nykjar (DEN) / SEAT Leon 2.0 TDI
19 bamboo-engineering / Harry Vaulkhard (GBR) / Chevrolet Lacetti
20 bamboo-engineering / Darryl O'Young (HKG) / Chevrolet Lacetti
21 Wiechers-Sport / Mehdi Bennani (MAR) / BMW 320si
23 Colak Racing / Marin Colak (CRO) / SEAT Leon 2.0 TFSI
24 Poulsen Motorsport / Kristian Poulsen (DEN) / BMW 320si
25 Scuderia Proteam Motorsport / Sergio Hernandez (ESP) / BMW 320si
26 Scuderia Proteam Motorsport / Stefano D'Aste (ITA) / BMW 320si

Curitiba, Brazil hosts the first race of the season on 7 March.

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