WTCC: MEHDI BENNANI TO STAY WITH PROTEAM

MEHDI BENNANI TO STAY WITH PROTEAM
Proteam Racing announced earlier this week that they have re-signed Mehdi Bennani for the 2012 season.
Morocco's 28-year old racer will be facing his second season with the Italian outfit at the wheel of a BMW 320 TC car.
In 2011 Bennani's best result was a sixth place in Macau and he was classified seventh in the Yokohama Trophy.
"We are very pleased to keep Mehdi in the team and we expect a further improvement in his performance after the positive season last year. We have also confirmed our technical staff directed by engineer Marco Calovolo," team principal Marco Guiducci commented.
Proteam Racing will start testing in February and they are due to announce the name of a second driver very soon.

Morocco's Mehdi Bennani was the first driver confirmed by Proteam Racing

O'YOUNG AND ENGSTLER IN DAYTONA 24 HOURS
This weekend, WTCC regulars Darryl O'Young and Franz Engstler face off at the 24 hours of Daytona.
The two of them are competing against each other in the GT category.
Hong Kong's O'Young is racing in a Porsche GT3 entered by Bullet Racing, whilst German driver Engstler in a Liqui Moly Team Engstler/Mitchum motorsport Porsche GT3.
"It's my third consecutive year in this race and it's a great competition to be a part of. Driving along the Daytona banking at 300km/h at night is a special feeling and this race is going to be great fun! I think Franz and I are going to enjoy this experience very much and I hope we can bring back strong results to represent WTCC well in this race," said O'Young.

Darryl O'Young and Franz Engstler in the paddock of the Daytona 24 Hours

RIKLI MOTORSPORT RETURN TO ETCCSwitzerland-based Rikli Motorsport announced they will compete in the FIA European Touring Car Cup once again. Just like in 2011, the team will enter a couple of Honda cars in the Super 2000 class: a Civic FD for Peter Rikli and an Accord Euro R for Christian Fischer."We are currently rebuilding both cars, introducing a number of technical improvements. We are doing our best to make them competitive for the season opener at Monza," said team principal Erwin Rikli.In last year's ETCC Rikli and Fischer were classified sixth and ninth respectively in the S2000 class.The ETCC will be supporting series in three WTCC events, at Monza, Valencia and Salzburgring.

Fabio Ravaioli - FIA WTCC Media Delegate