After the two races held at the urban track in Pau, the WTCC is set for a new meeting this weekend at the Czech Republic’s Brno circuit. Getting good results here and staying in the lead are still the Seat Sport team’s main objectives, in a championship which is becoming increasingly more competitive.
 
The results obtained in Valencia and Pau have balanced out the possibilities at the WTCC. After SEAT’s victories early in the season, both Chevrolet and BMW have followed suit, demonstrating once again that it is still too early to name a winner. Nevertheless, the Seat Sport team is optimistic about its chances with the Seat León TDI, which has already proven its worth by attaining several podiums and putting up a fight against its rivals at two complicated tracks carrying considerable ballast.
 
Chevrolet, Honda and BMW are all going into Brno with less weight thanks to a vaiwers given along the way, making the Seat León TDI the only car that fully complies with the current WTCC rules.
 
All the WTCC teams will be carrying out testing sessions at the Brno track on Thursday, which is known for its wide curves and steep slopes. This will be a detriment for the heavier cars, but the Seat León TDI has already shown its capabilities on all kinds of tracks, and will definitely be going into the race with the aim of keeping Seat and its drivers in the leading positions of the classification.
 
THE OPINION
Xavi Serra, Seat Sport Chief Track Engineer
 
“Historically Brno has been the championship’s most difficult venue, and in fact we’ve never won there. Of the last 10 races, BMW has won 7, and with a landslide victory last year. The difference this year is that we’re racing with the TDI, although it’s laden with ballast thanks to our success until now. That’ll surely help us on the slopes, with a 60 metre difference between both ends of the track, but the long curves cause the front wheel drive cars to greatly understeer, so those curves will be beneficial to the BMWs.”
 
THE DRIVERS
The Seat Sport drivers speak out on Brno
 
The Seat Sport drivers know that Brno will be especially difficult, both for the track’s layout and its new tarmac. Gabriele Tarquini says “Brno is a BMW circuit, so the weight, the new asphalt and maybe the weather conditions are going to be decisive factors against us. Yvan Muller shares this opinion, for whom “the track isn’t suited to front-wheel drive cars. Besides, this time I’m driving one of the heaviest cars in the grid. However, we might have a chance of getting good results with the new asphalt.” Good results are everyone’s priority. Jordi Gené thinks “the Brno track is one of the nicest of the championship, and I’ve always done well there. Despite all the limitations being placed on SEAT, we’re holding off successfully, and I hope Brno won’t be an exception.”
 
SEAT Sport’s other two drivers can’t wait for the next race. Rickard Rydell likes “the track a lot, and although it’s a BMW circuit, I’m sure we’ll finish with good results. I hope to keep scoring points.” Tiago Monteiro feels the same way, stating that “after two weekends without scoring, I hope to race well this weekend. I’m highly motivated to break this losing streak.”
 
Event details
Race: 2008 WTCC, races 9 and 10
Circuit: Brno, Czech Republic
Length: 5.402 km. Two, 10-lap races
 
Schedule
Saturday, 14 June
9:00 – 9:30 a.m.: Free training session 1
11:30 – 12:00 a.m.: Free training session 2
3:00 – 3:30 p.m.: Qualifying session
 
Sunday, 15 June
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.: Warm-up
12:20 p.m.: 1st race (10 laps, rolling start)
3:35 p.m.: 2 nd race (10 laps, standing start)