2008 World Touring Car Championship Explained

The 2008 World Touring Car Championship season was the fifth World Touring Car Championship season, the fourth since its 2005 return. It began on 2 March, and ended on 16 November, after twenty-four races. The championship, which was open to Super 2000 Cars and Diesel 2000 Cars, was composed of the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Drivers and the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Manufacturers.[1]

Frenchman Yvan Muller won the Drivers title by 26 points from SEAT team-mate Gabriele Tarquini, with Chevrolet's Robert Huff finishing third just a point behind Tarquini. The Manufacturers Championship was awarded to SEAT.

Teams and drivers

The full season entry list.[2]

TeamCarNo.DriversRounds
Manufacturer Teams
BMW Team UKBMW 320si1 Andy PriaulxAll
BMW Team Germany2 Jörg MüllerAll
3 Augusto Farfus Jr.All
BMW Team Italy-Spain4 Alessandro ZanardiAll
5 Félix PorteiroAll
Chevrolet RMLChevrolet Lacetti6 Nicola LariniAll
7 Robert HuffAll
8 Alain MenuAll
SEAT SportSEAT León TDI9 Jordi GenéAll
10 Rickard RydellAll
11 Gabriele TarquiniAll
12 Yvan MullerAll
N.technologyHonda Accord Euro R15 James Thompson3–12
SEAT SportSEAT León TDI18 Tiago MonteiroAll
SUNRED EngineeringSEAT León TFSI20 Tom CoronelAll
SEAT SportSEAT León TFSI21 José Manuel Pérez-Aicart3
Yokohama Trophy
Borusan Otomotiv MotorsportBMW 320si13 Ibrahim OkyayAll
Wiechers-SportBMW 320si16 Olivier Tielemans1–3, 5–6, 8
SUNRED EngineeringSEAT León TFSI22 Michal Matejovský5
Exagon EngineeringSEAT León TFSI23 Pierre-Yves Corthals1–10
Scuderia Proteam MotorsportBMW 320si26 Stefano D'Aste1–11
Russian Bears MotorsportLada 110 2.027 Kirill Ladygin9–12
28 Viktor Shapovalov3–12
29 Jaap van Lagen3–12
Scuderia Proteam MotorsportBMW 320si31 Sergio HernándezAll
SUNRED EngineeringSEAT León TFSI32 Oscar Nogués4
Wiechers-SportBMW 320si33 Laurent Cazenave4
BMW 320si42 Franz EngstlerAll
43 Andrey Romanov1–6, 8–12
Petrol GT Racing TeamBMW 320si45 Georgi Tanev8–10
Scuderia Proteam Motorsport12
Wiechers-SportBMW 320si49 Duncan Huisman8
Golden MotorsHonda Accord Euro R54 Aleksandr Lvov3, 5
55 Andrey Smetsky3, 5
Poulsen MotorsportBMW 320si60 Kristian Poulsen6–8
Wiechers-Sport10
Borusan Otomotiv MotorsportBMW 320si62 Aytaç Biter7–8
SUNRED EngineeringSEAT León TFSI75 Norbert Michelisz11
76 Lourenço Beirão da Veiga7
77 Tom Boardman6
78 Marin Čolak8
79 Duarte Félix da Costa10
Asian Wild Card Entries
Wiechers-SportBMW 320si17 Takayuki Aoki10–12
N.technologyHonda Accord Euro R66 André Couto12
Thunder Asia RacingBMW 320si69 Melvin Choo11–12
N.technologyHonda Accord Euro R72 Yukinori Taniguchi10–11
Chevrolet RMLChevrolet Lacetti80 Manabu Orido10–12
BMW 320i81 Masaki Kano11–12
Wiechers-SportBMW 320si88 Matthew Marsh11–12
Volvo Olsbergs Green RacingVolvo C3063 Robert Dahlgren7

Note: Macau-based RPM Racing Team had planned to race one Toyota Altezza and one Honda Civic Type-R for Macanese drivers Lei Kit Meng and Jo Rosa Merszei in the final races in Macau.[3] Although car numbers were allocated to them (#64 for Meng (Toyota Altezza) and #65 for Merszei (Honda Civic)), the FIA Touring Car Bureau rejected the entries because neither of these cars had been homologated by the FIA.[4]

Driver changes

Changed Teams

Entering WTCC including those who entered one-off rounds in 2007

Leaving WTCC

Calendar

A provisional calendar was released in November, 2007.[5] [6]

Sweden was to be included in the calendar for 21 September but the FIA confirmed on 3 May 2008 that the Swedish round at the Scandinavian Raceway was replaced by an Italy round at the revamped Imola Circuit.[7]

RoundRace NameTrackDate
1R1HSBC Race of Brazil Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba2 March
R2
2R3Telmex Race of Mexico Autódromo Miguel E. Abed6 April
R4
3R5Monroe Race of Spain Circuit Ricardo Tormo18 May
R6
4R7Courtyard Race of France Circuit de Pau Ville1 June
R8
5R9Stihl Race of the Czech Republic Masaryk Circuit15 June
R10
6R11Race of Turismo de Portugal Autódromo do Estoril13 July
R12
7R13Courtyard Race of UK Brands Hatch27 July
R14
8R15Atari Race of Germany Motorsport Arena Oschersleben31 August
R16
9R17Courtyard Race of Europe Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari21 September
R18
10R19Monroe Race of Italy Autodromo Nazionale di Monza5 October
R20
11R21Race Pro of Japan Okayama International Circuit26 October
R22
12R23Canon Race of Macau Guia Circuit16 November
R24

Results and standings

Races

RacenowrapRace NamenowrapPole PositionnowrapFastest lapnowrapWinning drivernowrapWinning teamnowrapWinning independentReport
1 Race of Brazil Yvan Muller Andy Priaulx Yvan Muller SEAT Sport Olivier TielemansReport
2 Augusto Farfus Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Sport Olivier Tielemans
3 Race of Mexico Jordi Gené Tiago Monteiro Jordi Gené SEAT Sportnowrap Pierre-Yves CorthalsReport
4 Yvan Muller Tiago Monteiro SEAT Sport Pierre-Yves Corthals
5 Race of Spain Yvan Muller Jörg Müller Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Stefano D'AsteReport
6 Alain Menu Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Sergio Hernández
7 Race of France Augusto Farfus Augusto Farfus Augusto Farfus BMW Team Germany Laurent CazenaveReport
8 Rickard Rydell Andy Priaulx BMW Team UK Stefano D'Aste
9 Race of the Czech Republicnowrap Alessandro Zanardinowrap Félix Porteironowrap Alessandro Zanardinowrap BMW Team Italy-Spainnowrap Sergio HernándezReport
10nowrap Alessandro Zanardi Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Sport Sergio Hernández
11 Race of Portugal Nicola Larini Nicola Larini Rickard Rydell SEAT Sport Pierre-Yves CorthalsReport
12 Nicola Larini Tiago Monteiro SEAT Sport Sergio Hernández
13 Race of UK Augusto Farfus Robert Huff Jörg Müller BMW Team Germany Stefano D'AsteReport
14 Augusto Farfus Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Stefano D'Aste
15 Race of Germany Robert Huff Augusto Farfus Augusto Farfus BMW Team Germany Stefano D'AsteReport
16 Augusto Farfus Félix Porteiro BMW Team Italy-Spain Sergio Hernández
17 Race of Europe Rickard Rydell James Thompson Yvan Muller SEAT Sport Sergio HernándezReport
18 Tiago Monteiro James Thompson N.Technology Sergio Hernández
19 Race of Italy Yvan Muller Andy Priaulx Yvan Muller SEAT Sport Pierre-Yves CorthalsReport
20 Alain Menu Gabriele Tarquini SEAT Sport Sergio Hernández
21 Race of Japan Augusto Farfus Jörg Müller Rickard Rydell SEAT Sport Stefano D'AsteReport
22 James Thompson Tom Coronel SUNRED Racing Sergio Hernández
23 Guia Race of Macau Alain Menu Andy Priaulx Alain Menu Chevrolet RML Sergio HernándezReport
24 Augusto Farfus Robert Huff Chevrolet RML Franz Engstler

Championship standings

Points system
 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th 
108654321

Drivers' Championship

The final standings in the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship for Drivers were :

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align: center"
valign=middlePosvalign=middleDriverBRA
MEX
ESP
FRA
CZE
POR
UK
GER
EUR
ITA
JPN
MAC
valign=middle Pts 
1 Yvan Muller15644827853221111815147632114
2 Gabriele Tarquini515325546113117524165Ret2110Ret712†88
3 Robert HuffRetRet9912459DSQ4521102343626†455187
4 Andy Priaulx421087381148633RetRet5117325†322†2381
5 Rickard Rydell2722107631017181196202616919Ret477
6 Augusto FarfusDSQ61110Ret201643Ret10Ret61678Ret86241163
7 Jörg Müller34141254913579714269829102Ret10Ret60
8 Jordi Gené11815363191314599Ret5417177211106Ret56
9 Alain MenuRet10878110Ret361114813RetRet12115Ret13113†54
10 Félix Porteiro631620†221015122484628110RetNC12Ret814DNS51
11 Nicola LariniRet123Ret69721111262312Ret11645316129Ret48
12 Tiago Monteiro17137118Ret131012107116154Ret1311465711Ret43
13 Alessandro Zanardi15111511121812111220134312191298713Ret23†536
14 Tom Coronel79469DNS149181210125227215151024†8122†Ret35
15 James Thompson111111879DNSDNS101415Ret31Ret1117481425
16 Sergio Hernández14†151715231217171513Ret15138107910141312312Ret9
17 Franz Engstler10171816171719151623†18181713Ret151614131614111563
18 Stefano D'Aste91613141415181425†21191612791318162414923†2
19 Manabu Orido1517Ret181672
20 Olivier Tielemans814191715Ret19RetRetDNS22181
21 Matthew Marsh21141781
Andrey Romanov1219201816Ret20202016162017Ret202018Ret22152090
Ibrahim Okyay162021192419RetRetRet19172318Ret19RetRet211921RetDNS18100
Duncan Huisman16100
Pierre-Yves Corthals13181213Ret13Ret2117151219141625†12141312Ret0
13140
Marin Čolak13170
André Couto13Ret0
Kristian Poulsen14221517181423†150
Jaap van LagenRetRet211821Ret1521DNS1814221918Ret19181721Ret0
Takayuki Aoki17Ret15RetRet15†0
Aleksandr Lvov191623200
Laurent Cazenave16Ret0
Norbert MicheliszRet160
Oscar NoguésRet160
Tom BoardmanRet170
Georgi Tanev21212119201819Ret0
Viktor Shapovalov20RetDNQDNQRet18Ret2419202023RetDNSRet22DNSDNSDNSDNS0
Yukinori Taniguchi21Ret20190
20190
Kirill LadyginRet22222319RetRetRet0
Melvin Choo2320RetRet0
Duarte Félix Da CostaRet200
Andrey Smetsky212124220
Aytaç Biter222123240
Masaki Kano2421RetDNS0
Michal Matejovský22Ret0
guest drivers ineligible for points
Robert Dahlgren24†DNS
valign=middlePosvalign=middleDriverBRA
MEX
ESP
FRA
CZE
POR
UK
GER
EUR
ITA
JPN
MAC
valign=middle Pts 
Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap
† — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.

Drivers' Championship points were awarded on a 10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis to the first eight finishers in each race.

Manufacturers' Championship

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align: center"
valign=middlePosvalign=middleManufacturerBRA
MEX
ESP
FRA
CZE
POR
UK
GER
EUR
ITA
JPN
MAC
valign=middle Pts 
1 SEAT111125236111254215111132326
252236348532595426225664
2 BMW3210853111263121172372223274
43111074862384338587883345
3 ChevroletRet103711423625812343534511238
Ret1289627591146211031164651612513
4 Honda111111879DNSDNS101415Ret31211117481460
19162320RetRet201913Ret
valign=middlePosvalign=middleManufacturerBRA
MEX
ESP
FRA
CZE
POR
UK
GER
EUR
ITA
JPN
MAC
valign=middle Pts 

Manufacturers' Championship points were awarded on a 10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis to the first eight finishers in each race. However, only the results of the best two cars for each manufacturer were taken into account.

Yokohama Independents' Trophy

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%; text-align: center"
valign=middlePosvalign=middleDriverBRA
MEX
ESP
FRA
CZE
POR
UK
GER
EUR
ITA
JPN
MAC
valign=middle Pts 
1 Sergio Hernández14†151715231217171513Ret15138107910141312312Ret186
2 Franz Engstler10171816171719151623†18181713Ret15161413161411156149
3 Stefano D'Aste91613141415181425†21191612791318162414923137
4 Pierre-Yves Corthals13181213Ret13Ret211715121914162512141312Ret112
5 Andrei Romanov1219201816Ret20202016162017Ret202018Ret221520983
6 Ibrahim Okyay162021192419RetRetRet19172318Ret19RetRet211921RetDNS181051
7 Olivier Tielemans814191715Ret19RetRetDNS221843
8 Jaap van Lagen1521DNS1814221918Ret19181721Ret38
9 Matthew Marsh211417836
10 Kristian Poulsen14221517181423†1532
11 Georgi Tanev21212119201819Ret20
12 Takayuki Aoki17Ret15RetRet15†18
13 Aleksandr Lvov1916232015
14 Laurent Cazenave16Ret10
15 Marin Čolak13179
16 Andrey Smetsky212124228
17 Oscar NoguésRet166
18 Tom BoardmanRet176
19 Norbert MicheliszRet164
20 Kirill LadyginRet22222319RetRetRet4
21 Viktor ShapovalovRet2419202023RetDNSRet22DNSDNSDNSDNS4
22 Michal Matějovský22Ret3
23 Lourenço Beirão da Veiga20193
24 Duarte Félix da CostaRet202
25 Melvin Choo2320RetRet2
26 Masaki Kano2421RetDNS1
Aytaç Biter222123240
valign=middlePosvalign=middleDriverBRA
MEX
ESP
FRA
CZE
POR
UK
GER
EUR
ITA
JPN
MAC
valign=middle Pts 
The Yokohama Independents' Trophy uses a similar system to the Drivers’ Championship, however double points are awarded at Macau.

Yokohama Teams' Trophy

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 80%; text-align: center"
valign=middlePosvalign=middleTeamBRA
MEX
ESP
FRA
CZE
POR
UK
GER
EUR
ITA
JPN
MAC
valign=middle Pts 
1 Scuderia Proteam Motorsport915131414121714151319151279791014139312Ret334
14†1617152315181725†21Ret161381013181624141223†19Ret
2 Liqui Moly Team Engstler10171816161719151616161817131715161413161411156228
1219201817Ret20202023†1820RetRet202018Ret2215209
3 Exagon Engineering13181213Ret13Ret2117151219141625†12141312Ret112
4 Wiechers-Sport814191715Ret16Ret19RetRetDNS221817151514178105
23†Ret21RetRet15†
5 Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport162021192419RetRetRet19172318211924Ret211921RetDNS181051
22Ret23Ret
6 Russian Bears Motorsport15211918142219182219181721Ret46
Ret24DNS202023Ret22Ret2219RetRetRet
7 SUNRED EngineeringRet1622RetRet1720191317Ret20Ret1633
8 Poulsen Motorsport14221517181426
9 Golden Motors1916232023
21212422
10 Petrol GT Racing Team21212119201812
11 Thunder Asia Racing2320RetRet2
valign=middlePosvalign=middleTeamBRA
MEX
ESP
FRA
CZE
POR
UK
GER
EUR
ITA
JPN
MAC
valign=middle Pts 

All the teams taking part in any of the rounds of the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship were eligible toscore points for the Yokohama Teams' Trophy. Points were awarded to the two best classified cars of each team, providing they were driven by Independent drivers. All other cars of that same team were considered invisible as far as scoring points was concerned.

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://dnl.fiawtcc.com/Art%20263%20-%20S2000%20Technical%20Regulations%20(2007_12_07).pdf 2008 WTCC Regulations
  2. Web site: 2008 Entry List . 2008-02-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080705015008/http://www.fiawtcc.com/fiawtcc/entry-list/2008/entrylistmotor.shtml . 2008-07-05 . dead .
  3. News: MACANESE TEAM JOIN FOR HOME RACE . World Touring Car Championship official website . 2008-11-03 . 2008-11-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081113122231/http://www.fiawtcc.com/fiawtcc/sport_sto1745425.shtml . November 13, 2008 .
  4. News: FIA BUREAU REJECT RPM ENTRIES . World Touring Car Championship official website . 2008-11-06 . 2008-11-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081112060906/http://www.fiawtcc.com/fiawtcc/sport_sto1748143.shtml . November 12, 2008 .
  5. Web site: 2008 FIA WTCC Calendar Approved . 2007-11-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080705015128/http://www.fiawtcc.com/fiawtcc/sport_sto1358302.shtml . 2008-07-05 . dead .
  6. Web site: WTCC Calendar Approved by WMSC . 2007-12-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081113082252/http://www.fiawtcc.com/fiawtcc/sport_sto1404667.shtml . 2008-11-13 . dead .
  7. News: Imola to replace Anderstorp . fiawtcc.com . 2008-05-03 . 2008-05-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081114093140/http://www.fiawtcc.com/fiawtcc/sport_sto1561024.shtml . November 14, 2008 .