SLOVAKIA RING REPLACES ARGENTINA
An event at the modern Slovakia Ring on April 29 will replace the WTCC Race of Argentina that was due to happen in Córdoba on 8 July.
"We have been forced to make this change because of the delays in defining the details of the agreement with the local Government. Time went by and we could not go further and take the risk of a last minute cancellation. However, Argentina remains a key market for us and we are determined to try again for 2013," explained WTCC promoter Marcello Lotti.
Gustavo Santos president of the Agencia Córdoba Turismo commented: "We feel very sorry not to be able to secure the WTCC event at the Autódromo Oscar Cabalén for 2012. However, we still have a keen interest in the project and we hope to carry it out in the next future."
Close to Bratislava, Slovak Republic's capital city, the Slovakia Ring was inaugurated in 2009.
"We are pleased with the opportunity to bring WTCC to the Slovak Republic for the first time. The Slovakia Ring is a demanding track with modern facilities and is only 170 kilometres away from the Hungaroring where we race the following week," Lotti said.
Tomás Vranka executive director of Slovakia Ring added: "We are very proud to host the WTCC, one of the few motorsport world championships. It is a great opportunity for our racetrack to be introduced to the international racing community and I am confident that Slovak fans will attend numerously."
The Slovakia Ring will welcome WTCC for the first time on April 29
THE 2012 WTCC CALENDAR REVISED
Rounds 1 & 2: 11 March, Monza (Italy)
Rounds 3 & 4: 1 April, Valencia (Spain)
Rounds 5 & 6: 15 April, Marrakech (Morocco)
Rounds 7 & 8: 29 April, Slovakia Ring (Slovak Republic) *
Rounds 9 & 10: 6 May, Budapest (Hungary)
Rounds 11 & 12: 20 May, Salzburgring (Austria)
Rounds 13 & 14: 3 June, Estoril (Portugal)
Rounds 15 & 16: 22 July, Curitiba (Brazil)
Rounds 17 & 18: 23 September, Sonoma (USA)
Rounds 19 & 20: 21 October, Suzuka (Japan)
Rounds 21 & 22: 4 November, Shanghai (China)
Rounds 23 & 24: 18 November, Macau (Macau)
* subject to the FIA approval
HONDA: THE RETURN OF A WINNING BRAND
Honda's decision to enter in the WTCC brings a glorious brand back to top level international automobile motor sport with a works programme since the company pulled out of Formula One.
The roots of Honda car racing activity date back to 1964, when Honda made a first appearance in F1 with an in-house built car. The year after Richie Ginther won the Mexican Grand Prix, but the programme was stopped in 1968 after peaking with John Surtess' victory in the 1967 Italian GP at Monza and his fourth place in the Drivers' Championship.
Honda returned to F1 in 1982 as engine supplier for a decade of triumphs that resulted in 69 race wins and five consecutive titles in both the Drivers' and Manufacturers' Championships with Williams (Nelson Piquet in 1987) and McLaren (Ayrton Senna in 1988, 1990, 1991; Alain Prost in 1989)
A more recent attempt - between 1999 and 2007 - met with less success when Honda first supplied engines to BAR and then took control of the team claiming only one victory with Jenson Button in the 2006 Hungarian GP.
In recent years Honda cars have also been very successful in Touring Car racing, winning a number of national titles, three consecutive FIA European Cups (2009, 2010, 2011) and one WTCC race in 2008 (James Thompson at Imola).
WTCC promoter Marcello Lotti commented: "I am personally very happy, because since the beginning I said that Japan was a priority for WTCC. We managed to establish an event there in 2008, and since then the championship has become hugely popular with Japanese fans. But our ultimate goal was to attract a Japanese manufacturer to join. Today that dream is fulfilled, and in the best possible way, as in terms of motorsport the Honda brand is one of the best you could hope for."
James Thompson won the 2008 WTCC race at Imola in a Honda Accord
BAMBOO UPGRADE THEIR CHEVROLET CARSBamboo-engineering announced they will run again two Chevrolet Cruze 1.6 turbo powered cars in 2012, with full specification upgrades and identical to the works RML cars.Team Principal, Richard Coleman said: "We're delighted to be able to run with exactly the same specification cars as the works RML team this year. The Cruze has been outstandingly successful over the last couple seasons and we're confident that that will continue in 2012 with these latest updates. We have almost a years experience with the car and with the latest updates we're confident that we'll be in contention for the Yokohama Trophy title once again this year. On the driver front, we're talking to several top line drivers at the moment and we'll hopefully be in a position to announce our line up within the next couple of weeks."DUDUKALO WINS RAMENSKOE ICE RACELukoil Racing Team driver Aleksey Dudukalo has claimed his first victory of the season in the Russian Ice Racing championship at Ramenskoe's hippodrome, in the Moscow region.The series, which is hugely popular with Russian motorsport fans is held on two qualification stages and a final.Last Sunday at Ramenskoe, in the championship's opening event, Dudukalo and his LADA Kalina car dominated the rest of the field, winning all the heats they took part in, and are now leading the point table.BENNANI AND VILLA IN MOROCCAN EVENTWTCC regulars Mehdi Bennani and Javier Villa starred on Tuesday in a promotional event in the city of Assa, located in the Moroccan Sahara.Bennani and Villa took part in exhibition races, driving karts and Renault Clio Cup cars during the event that was aiming to promote motor sport in a Country that will host WTCC for the third time on Marrakech's city circuit later this year."Every time they invite me to this kind of events I am very pleased and, like all the other drivers, I try my best to provide a great show for the spectators and those who contributed to the organization," Bennani said.And Villa echoed: "This was my first visit to Morocco and it was great to discover the cities of Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir and especially Assa that welcomed us with its unique charm. The public was really enthusiastic during our exhibition races!"HYFLEX BECOMES WTCC OFFICIAL PARTNEREurosport Events is pleased to announce the agreement with HyFlex that becomes WTCC official partner from 2012. Since its inception in 1999, the HyFlex brand has emerged as the number one best selling industrial glove in the world. HyFlex advanced mechanical protection gloves provide best-in-class comfort, protection and dexterity for industrial workers in high performance work environments worldwide. The HyFlex glove range is engineered with innovative ergonomic features and new technologies that provide an ideal balance of comfort, protection, dexterity and durability for today's global workforce.
COUNTDOWN: - 34 DAYS
Fabio Ravaioli - FIA WTCC Media Delegate
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