WTCC is Dead, Long Live WTCC - Tribute Video

[Paul Jeffrey]

Following the merger of TCR and WTCC the FIA World Touring Car Championship is officially over, check out this touching tribute video to the history of this epic series...

Released by the outgoing World Touring Car Championship organisers, the near four minute tribute video tracks the history of a series that ran with great success from 2005 right the way through to the end of this season, showcasing some of the incredible action and stars of a championship that for over ten years marked the pinnacle of international touring car racing.

Featuring some of the past and present stars of the WTCC, the new video can be seen in full below..

Of course the WTCC will live on in 2018 under the new WTCR banner and using the hugely popular TCR regulations of former WTCC promoter Marcelo Lotti, however the "World Championship" status of the series has been revoked by the FIA due to the restriction on fully works backed manufacturer status in TCR specification championship, effectively making the new WTCR a customer team focussed series with limited manufacturer support outside of the creation and sale of this varied and impressive touring car machines.

Big budgets have often been cited as the death call of many an official racing series, and the WTCC have acted quickly to ensure the same fate doesn't bring to a close World Championship level touring car racing. Obviously the continuation of the series is a very good thing for motorsport fans despite the landscape looking set to be very different in 2018, something we asked you for your opinions on back on Saturday in our 'Have Your Say' article here at RaceDepartment.

Personally I have loved watching the WTCC and the formally titled ETCC that ran before World Championship status would be granted to the series for '05, and I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for this outstanding championship.

List of official WTCC Champions - 2005 - 2017

2005 Andy Priaulx - BMW Team UK BMW 320i - BMW BMW 320i
2006 Andy Priaulx - BMW Team UK BMW 320si - BMW BMW 320si
2007 Andy Priaulx - BMW Team UK BMW 320si - BMW BMW 320si
2008 Yvan Muller - SEAT Sport SEAT León TDI - SEAT SEAT León TDI
2009 Gabriele Tarquini - SEAT Sport SEAT León 2.0 TDI - SEAT León 2.0 TDI
2010 Yvan Muller - Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze LT - Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze LT
2011 Yvan Muller - Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T - Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T
2012 Robert Huff - Chevrolet RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T - Chevrolet Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T
2013 Yvan Muller - RML Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T - Honda Honda Civic WTCC
2014 José María López - Citroën Total WTCC Citroën C-Elysée - Citroën Citroën C-Elysée
2015 José María López - Citroën Total WTCC Citroën C-Elysée - Citroën Citroën C-Elysée
2016 José María López - Citroën Total WTCC Citroën C-Elysée - Citroën Citroën C-Elysée
2017 Thed Bjork - Polestar Cyan Racing Volvo S60 Polestar TC1 - Volvo S60 Polestar TC1

WTCC Race Winners

1. Yvan Muller - 48
2. José María López - 29
3. Robert Huff - 28
4. Alain Menu - 23
5. Gabriele Tarquini - 22
6. Andy Priaulx - 18
7. Augusto Farfus - 15
8. Tiago Monteiro - 11
9. Jörg Müller - 10
10. Norbert Michelisz - 8
11. Tom Chilton - 6
12. Tom Coronel - 6
13. Sébastien Loeb - 6
14. Mehdi Bennani - 5
15. Rickard Rydell - 5
16. Jordi Gené - 4
17. Fabrizio Giovanardi - 4
18. Dirk Müller - 4
19. James Thompson - 4
20. Alessandro Zanardi - 4
21. Thed Bjork - 3
22. Michel Nykjær - 3
23. Nicky Catsburg - 2
24. Stefano D'Aste - 2
25. Esteban Guerrieri - 2
26. James Nash - 2
27. Félix Porteiro - 2
28. Ma Qinghua - 2
29. Yann Ehrlacher - 1
30. Franz Engstler - 1
31. Néstor Girolami - 1
32. Sergio Hernández - 1
33. Duncan Huisman - 1
34. Nicola Larini - 1
35. Gianni Morbidelli - 1
36. Pepe Oriola - 1
37. Salvatore Tavano - 1
38. Peter Terting - 1
39. Colin Turkington - 1

Want to discuss the world of motorsport with fellow fans of sport on 2, 3 and 4 wheels? Have a burning desire to throw out an opinion or get involved in a discussion? If you do then head over to the Motorsport Sub Forum and leave a comment today!

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Looking forward to WTCR in 2018? Happy to see the series survive under a new direction? Do you think the WTCC / WTCR can recapture the glory days of the mid 2000's? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Nico]

WTCC was somewhat important to my country (Argentina) thanks to the victories and championships earned by "Pechito" López. Nobody expected the only outsider of an almost entirely French team to dominate the series for three years. The guy deserved better luck in racing, to be honest. He was one of the drivers of the disastrous "USF1" project which led him out of F1 without even trying it. The jump to Formula E and the WEC proved to be unsuccessful, and sadly I can see him coming back to our local racing series in little time.

 

[CC]

Oh no the Volvo!

 

[Sergio Goncalves]

WTCC was one of the things that got me into simracing, with the famous Race07 from SimBin...

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

I'd like to know what's gonna happen with the old TC1 spec cars? Will they be retired? Will they pop up in various national series?

Always think it sad when good cars (thinking Volvo) vanish from the scene

 

[antirussia81]

Wow, I just realised that the last time I watched a full WTCC race was in 2009... BTCC is so much more fun.

 

[Sky]

What a hellish fever dream.

 

[Rudy Pessotto]

For years is the same pilots ,coronels ,tarquinis ,monteiros, huff michelizs ,so some wekends are work friends ,wtcc is bullshit for years ,rip

 

[Zuffenhausen Weiss]

I'd like to know what's gonna happen with the old TC1 spec cars? Will they be retired? Will they pop up in various national series?

Always think it sad when good cars (thinking Volvo) vanish from the scene

Possible the usual old racing car home at N24, Dubai 24 and the 24 Series

The FIA should've allowed the class to evolve rather than to allow this so-called "split" to happen

 

[Charmin]

The WTCC took the wrong way IMO. They had great cars in the S2000 Era. Low Aero, they just needed a bit more Power like 400-500HP. I wish they had the cars of the V8 Supercars.

 

[Zuffenhausen Weiss]

View attachment 225939
...however the "World Championship" status of the series has been revoked by the FIA due to the restriction on fully works backed manufacturer status in TCR specification championship, effectively making the new WTCR a customer team focussed series with limited manufacturer support outside of the creation and sale of this varied and impressive touring car machines.

Still, like usual; what has the FIA learned since it's history, absolutely nothing and now the WTCC has with Group A, Supertouring, Class 1, Group C, GT1, etc joined the motorsport graveyard

 

[Zuffenhausen Weiss]

I wish they had the cars of the V8 Supercars.

There was a similar series a few years back called Superstars Series for big Euro luxury barges, it lasted 10 seasons

 

[Charmin]

There was a similar series a few years back called Superstars Series for big Euro luxury barges, it lasted 10 seasons

I know they were awesome. Love the Benz there had a fantastic sound. Sadly its gone

Just awesome sound

 

[Daniel Monteiro]

I know they were awesome. Love the Benz there had a fantastic sound. Sadly its gone

Just awesome sound

When can we expect such wuality sounds in simracing?

 

[shimon.ifraimov]

The WTCC took the wrong way IMO. They had great cars in the S2000 Era. Low Aero, they just needed a bit more Power like 400-500HP. I wish they had the cars of the V8 Supercars.

yes super 2000 were great but 500hp fwd with low aero? wtf lol.

 

[Charmin]

yes super 2000 were great but 500hp fwd with low aero? wtf lol.

Well not fwd then, had the BMW in my mind

 

[darkelf1]

After i played race07, i realise time to stop playing sim race, no big change in this realm, after several years AC out, then i feel the passion back.

 

[AngelOfAttack]

I've tried to watch the TCR, but the single commentator just make the Race feels boring.. while the race is better than WTCC....
I just so used to the itv4's BTCC commentary....

 

[Simon Gardner]

I think a lot of Euro touring car series suffer from poor television production, BTCC isn't bad but V8 supercars are way out in front, even before the move to Foxtel. It feels like its put together by people who love motorsport with lots of onboard cameras that get utilised in the best way.

 

[MoerasGrizzly]

Low Aero, they just needed a bit more Power like 400-500HP.

That's what TC1 is (or was, now), 400HP touring cars that can keep up with GT3 on the Nordschleife (with the exception of that long straight). They were simply too expensive.