Wtcc Macau

[AlfaRonny]

Probably not the best way to start this year's last race weekend...

Fabrizio managed sixth best in pre-qualifying before hitting a wall

[AlfaRonny]

The following leaves some hope of Alfa competing in the 2006 WTCC, as there were plans for a 2-car squad with Giovanardi and Farfus.


Next year SEAT Sport will be aiming for both the FIA WTCC Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles, and to achieve this ambitious goal they have put together one of the strongest line up ever seen in motor sport. Six top-rated Touring Car aces will drive the SEAT León cars in the 2006 FIA World Touring Car Championship, it was announced today at the Catalunya circuit in Montmeló (Barcelona) when the Spanish Manufacturer also unveiled to the media the 280-bhp León that will compete in the 2006 Supercopa.
Current SEAT Sport drivers, Rickard Rydell, Jordi Gené and Peter Terting will be joined by Yvan Muller, Gabriele Tarquini and James Thompson. Six men who come from six different countries and boast impressive CVs in Touring Car racing. Tarquini – 43 from Italy – was the 1994 British champion and in 2003 he claimed the FIA European Touring Car Championship; Thompson – 31 from England – won the BTCC twice in 2002 and 2004, whereas Muller – 36 from France – did it once in 2003. Rydell – 38 from Sweden – is another former British champion (in 1998), while Gené – 34 from Spain – claimed the 1996 national Touring Car crown. As for the 21-year old German Terting, he may be the youngest of this outstanding group, but he has already managed to become a race winner in the FIA WTCC, scoring his first victory in the Mexican round at Puebla.
Jaime Puig, Director of SEAT Sport, said: "The introduction of Muller, Tarquini and Thompson will permit us to form a team at the same level as our main competitors. Their experience in will be an important strengthening for us after the first phase of development of the new León culminated with Jordi Gené’s victory in Valencia. We are very optimistic that the 2006 season should see SEAT fighting for the FIA World Touring Car Championship."

[dretceterini]

Too bad SEAT is no longer a part of FIAT and is now a part of VW

[alfa_chan]

That was just a crash in practice. Don't worry!!

[AlfaRonny]

I hope this lady will have a reason to celebrate after this WTCC-round...

[alfa_chan]

She looks familiar, what is her name?
Did she race for Mercedes or a Volvo back in the 90s? That was a good race.

BTW, Andy Priaulx (BMW) is on pole and Andre Couto (Alfa) 2nd, two more alfas, Augusto Farfus and Gabriele Tarquini, on the second role.
But Tarquini crashed into a SEAT after the qualifying (?), and he is currently in hospital, hope he can race on Sunday, and the car is fixed.

[AlfaRonny]

Monica SIPSZ
Alfa Romeo Racing: Team Manager

[AlfaRonny]

Did she race for Mercedes or a Volvo back in the 90s? That was a good race.
([/quote]

That was most likely Ellen Lohr who drove a couple of seasons for the AMG Mercedes team in the DTM. She's also the only woman to have won a DTM race.
Here's her race career so far:

2004 Marathon-Weltcup (Mitsubishi)
2003 Porsche Supercup
2002 V8STAR (PoleVision Racing)
2001 7. Platz DTC (BMW)
2000 5. Platz DTC (BMW)
1999 DTC (Honda)
1998 8. Platz Truck-EM (Mercedes)
1996 ITC (Mercedes)
1995 DTM (Mercedes) 17. Platz ITC (Mercedes)
1994 11. Platz DTM (Mercedes)
1993 10. Platz DTM (Mercedes)
1992 11. Platz DTM (Mercedes)
1991 DTM (Mercedes)
1990 9. Platz Formel 3-Meisterschaft
2. Platz Formel 3-GP Monaco
2. Platz 24h Nürburgring
1989 7. Platz Formel 3-Meisterschaft (VW)
1988 Deutsche Formel 3-Meisterschaft
1987 1. Platz Deutsche Formel Ford


Ellen Lohr was the most successful female touring car driver of the 1990s, with her win in the Hockenheim round of the 1992 DTM (German Touring Car Championship) season representing the highlight of her six-year DTM career. So far, this triumph has remained the only win for a woman in this top class series. It was a win that was secured with a Mercedes 190 E and against extremely competitive opponents such as former Formula One World Champion Keke Rosberg and touring car legend Klaus Ludwig. Afterwards, she secured further podium finishes at Berlin's AVUS, Nuremberg's Norisring and Diepholz.

[AlfaRonny]

Giovanardi didn't made it. He crashed at the end of race 1 and was out of contention for the title fight. Dirk Muller also crashed but came home in tenth place. Priaulx was second after a superb driving Augusto Farfus Jr.
In the second race D. Muller crashed in the third lap, giving the title to Priaulx without a real fight. Huisman, Priaulx team-mate at RBM won the race ahead of Priaulx, Menu with the Chevy, and Farfus.