WTCR Testing Concludes - First Race Next Week

Paul Jeffrey · Mar 30, 2018

The new FIA WTCR World Touring Car Cup kicks off in Marrakesh next week, with a full 25 driver, 7 marque field confirmed ahead of the green flag on Sunday.

Having gone through something of a difficult period in the history of the championship over the last few seasons, the FIA and Eurosport Events had to do something dramatic in 2018 in order to revive this once great touring car championship, and following a major shake up over the winter months the FIA WTCR series looks likely to be in the best shape it has been since the series heyday back in the mid 2000's.

Gone for this season are the spectacular but expensive TC1 regulation cars, replaced by the mighty popular and cost effective TCR regulation machines, opening up the grid to an impressive 26 car field for Marrakesh, containing no less that four former WTCC title winners and the reigning TCR International Series champion, aboard seven different brand of car in what is set to be the most promising season start to the series in the last 10 years.

With a new three race format taking shape for 2018 alongside the new regulation of car and several new and returning drivers, pre season testing has never held such importance as it did earlier today, with the newly branded Cupra TCR of OSCARO by Campos Racing heading the timesheets in testing at the Barcelona circuit during all full day of running for the new 2018 field of drivers, minus a poorly Rob Huff anyway...

WTCR Barcelona Testing Times (Combined)

1:54.443 - John Filippi - Team Oscaro by Campos Racing - Cupra
1:54.698 - Pepe Oriola - Team Oscaro by Campos Racing - Cupra
1:55.452 - Aurélien Panis - Comtoyou Racing - Audi
1:55.663 - Nathanaël Berthon - Comtoyou Racing - Audi
1:55.782 - Frédéric Vervisch - AUDI Sport Team COMTOYOU - Audi
1:55.782 - Yann Erlacher - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport - Audi
1:55.802 - Mehdi Bennani - Sébastien Loeb Racing - VW
1:55.804 - Aurélien Comte - DG Sport Competition - Peugeot
1:55.893 - Benjamin Lessennes - Boutsen Ginion Racing - Honda
1:55.910 - Mato Homola - DG Sport Competition - Peugeot
1:55.917 - Gabriele Tarquini - BRC Racing Team - Hyundai
1:56.003 - Gianni Morbidelli - Team Mulsanne - Alfa Romeo
1:56.045 - Denis Dupont - Comtoyou Racing - Audi
1:56.047 - Esteban Guerrieri - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport - Honda
1:56.051 - Jean-Karl Vernay - Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team - Audi
1:56.078 - Norbert Michelisz - BRC Racing Team - Hyundai
1:56.109 - Fabrizio Giovanardi - Team Mulsanne - Alfa Romeo
1:56.214 - Norbert Nagy - Zengo Motorsport - Cupra
1:56.244 - Yvan Muller - YMR - Hyundai
1:56.433 - Thed Björk - YMR - Hyundai
1:56.447 - James Thompson - ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport - Honda
1:56.495 - Gordon Shedden - Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team - Audi
1:56.698 - David Zsabo - Zengo Motorsport - Cupra
1:56.847 - Tom Coronel - Boutsen Ginion Racing - Honda

For more from the new FIA WTCR Touring Car Cup check out the Motorsport Sub Forum here at RaceDepartment - go on, get involved in the conversation now!

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Looking forward to the new WTCR series? Who is your shout for champion elect in 2018? Let us know in the comments section below!

Knoxstar · Mar 30, 2018

Paul Jeffrey said:
minus a poorly Rob Huff anyway...

Paul could you clarify? I get that he was not there. Is there more to this comment?

I'm really happy to see this series coming together and the competition looks close for the most part. Sincerely hope the MAC 10 thing is gone. What a waste of time that was! Will be pulling for Huffy and Flash as well as Spiderman.

But on a sim note, we will be big winners if R3 put together the whole grid with 7 models to play with!!

Nick Gregory · Mar 30, 2018

When did Peugeot build a TCR car?

the_racer · Mar 30, 2018

Nick Gregory said:
When did Peugeot build a TCR car?

The Peugeot 308 TCR was released early this year.

Kenny Paton · Mar 30, 2018

Knoxstar said:
But on a sim note, we will be big winners if R3 put together the whole grid with 7 models to play with!!

Add the tracks and my wallet could see daylight

Celestiale · Mar 30, 2018

the new Civic looks absolutely stunn-tastic

wooaahh..they should really make a street version with a similar bodykit and get rid of the hideous spaceship elements.
The rest also looks quite a bit better then the cars of last year.

Looking forward to the races..but the times definitely seem like Seat and Audi have to be nerfed before the races

Paul Jeffrey · Mar 30, 2018

Knoxstar said:
Paul could you clarify? I get that he was not there. Is there more to this comment?

He has a "virus" that forced him to miss both the media launch day and testing. Nothing serious so far as I can tell, just simply the bloke is unwell (and man, do I know how that feels!).

I've reached out for comment, will let you know if I hear anything..

Eckhart von Glan · Mar 30, 2018

this is shaping up nicely. who would have ever thought, Filipi could actually hold his own in such an intense grid, well done! with blancpain gt3 kicking off in zolder next weekend and this series here with a grid inside 2,5 secs, formula one - i'm afraid - looks a bit lame.