The Whole WTCC 2007 SEAT Saga

[LiamM]

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=854

If you read this short article we know we should have at least 2 SEATs next year, but, if my understanding is correct:

It appears SEATSport is run as a wholly separate 'company' from SEAT Spain. And require the national dealers to provide support to run the cars. If this is true Tarquini and Muller have contracts with SEAT Italy/France and they are to provide funding for a further year.

As was this year SEATSport can only run 4 cars (Thompson's and Muller's cars were prepared by ORECA). Therefore there is a maximum of 2 cars left - it looks like SEAT doesnt want to use ORECA next year.

So these can be filled by the national dealers signing contracts with drivers and those providing funding, those drivers could be (past SEAT drivers)

Jason Plato - SEAT Sport UK
Darren Turner - SEAT Sport UK
James Thompson - SEAT Sport UK
Rickard Rydell - SEAT Sport Sweden
Peter Terting - SEAT Sport Germany
Jordi Gene - SEAT Sport Spain
Tom Coronell - SEAT Sport Nedtherlands (run as a semi-works entry in 2006)
+ any others from other national series I am unaware of

Therefore we could easily have 4 SEATs next year again

I can't see SEAT pulling out with the success they have had with the Leon in its first season.

So as of yet we are still waiting for the national dealers to finalise their budgets for next year........

[tin-top fan]

I think Ceresoli (http://i.eurosport.com/2006/08/25/303830.jpg) (sp?) is helped out by Seat Sport Italia, although I could be completely wrong.....

[Captain VXR]

It says on the car Seat Sport Holland...

[eloyf1]

I think Ceresoli (http://i.eurosport.com/2006/08/25/303830.jpg) (sp?) is helped out by Seat Sport Italia, although I could be completely wrong.....
GR Asia Team, not Seat Italy ;-)

[tyreman2]

I think that Seat Sport will run Tarquini and Gene and are looking to find outside funding to run 2 others My bet is they will be Coronel and Mueller
Ceresoli car has Seat Holland on it because they support the team GR Asia.His sponsorship comes from personel backers in Italy not from Seat Italia

[SEATFreak]

It appears SEATSport is run as a wholly separate 'company' from SEAT Spain. And require the national dealers to provide support to run the cars. If this is true Tarquini and Muller have contracts with SEAT Italy/France and they are to provide funding for a further year.

As was this year SEATSport can only run 4 cars (Thompson's and Muller's cars were prepared by ORECA). Therefore there is a maximum of 2 cars left - it looks like SEAT doesnt want to use ORECA next year.

So these can be filled by the national dealers signing contracts with drivers and those providing funding, those drivers could be (past SEAT drivers)

Jason Plato - SEAT Sport UK
Darren Turner - SEAT Sport UK
James Thompson - SEAT Sport UK
Rickard Rydell - SEAT Sport Sweden
Peter Terting - SEAT Sport Germany
Jordi Gene - SEAT Sport Spain
Tom Coronell - SEAT Sport Nedtherlands (run as a semi-works entry in 2006)
+ any others from other national series I am unaware of

Therefore we could easily have 4 SEATs next year again

I can't see SEAT pulling out with the success they have had with the Leon in its first season.

So as of yet we are still waiting for the national dealers to finalise their budgets for next year........

So basically who runs what Liam and what is going to happen if ORECA pulls out?

My understanding of who runs what, all exept for Muller's and Thompson's are run by SEATSport, with ORECA running Muller's and Thompson's.

My understanding of what will happen is SEATSport (who are supported & funded by dealerships) will take on ORECA's cars and much will depend on the budget of the dealerships for 2007 and who they sign contracts with.

* since the post it has come to light, Rykard Rydell and Dirk Muller who lost his place at BMW to Augustus Farfus will race with JAS in Honda Accords and SEAT will go with Tom Coronel who has more money.

[LiamM]

Its not a fact if ORECA pull out, the strong rumour (which looks like reality) is that SEAT want to reduce their presence in WTCC, therefore if ORECA will not be needed. All 6 cars belong to SEATSport (do they also own Coronels?). The national delears need to put a package together to fund drivers for their contracted driver(s) to race in the WTCC. But with SEATSport reducing their presence there's a lot of drivers which can fill the spaces

[SEATFreak]

I am starting to get confused. Sorry. Are you saying esentially then trimming drivers doesn't necessarily mean trimming cars?

They can run the six cars next year, just change drivers that vacated the seat when their contracts expired like Thommo's because so long as they can agree a financial support package the dealerships can fund any drivers that come in and those in contract.

I know to add to Thommo it looks like Rykard will be out. But Tom Coronel looks like replacing him, so it looks like so far one seat needs filling if the dealierships get to fund the driver coming in if they can agree a support package.

[LiamM]

I think your misunderstanding what I'm saying ORECA never owned any Leons, SEATSport paid them to prepare and race them on behalf of them, as they wanted 6 cars, but could only support 4 in-house.

This year (dont know about 07) SEATSport only had the resources to run 4 cars. It'll probably be the same next year. But as we already know SEAT are looking to reduce their presence in WTCC, and as such will probably not run more than 4 cars. And at the minute, as far as we know only 2 drivers hold contracts for next year Tarquini and Muller. If they can run more cars (via other national delears they will - but up to a maximum which im sure only Jaime Puig(sp?) knows.

[BDunnell]

Don't forget that Coronel has been banned from running as an independent in 2007, as the WTCC powers-that-be have deemed it unfair that he should have walked away with the category in 2006.

[Captain VXR]

Oreca could buy some Leons and run them for themselves in the WTCC

[LiamM]

I'll stick it in here, instead of a nice shiny new thread, its not really touring car news anyway

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=884

[cybersdorf]

Oreca could buy some Leons and run them for themselves in the WTCC
But why would they?

[Caroline]

I'll stick it in here, instead of a nice shiny new thread, its not really touring car news anyway

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=884

Interesting article anyway!

[SEATFreak]

I think your misunderstanding what I'm saying ORECA never owned any Leons, SEATSport paid them to prepare and race them on behalf of them, as they wanted 6 cars, but could only support 4 in-house.

This year (dont know about 07) SEATSport only had the resources to run 4 cars. It'll probably be the same next year. But as we already know SEAT are looking to reduce their presence in WTCC, and as such will probably not run more than 4 cars. And at the minute, as far as we know only 2 drivers hold contracts for next year Tarquini and Muller. If they can run more cars (via other national delears they will - but up to a maximum which im sure only Jaime Puig(sp?) knows.

So, why would SEAT want 6 cars this year when they could support only 4 "in-house" cars? And just finally on the subject of Leon's, how certain do you rekon SEAT should be re the support from national dealers.

I have always been intrigued by the term "in house". What does it mean?

[LiamM]

They don't want 6 cars! They have six cars! This year, if they dont sell any, they'll have spare chassis' knocking about

[SEATFreak]

I appologise.

It is just when you said after the statement "on behalf of them", "as they wanted 6 cars, but could only support 4 in-house" I thought you means SEAT wanted the 6 cars.

So, if they didn't want the six cars how did SEAT come by them?

[Alfa Fan]

By building them for this year, where they did want and did run 6!

[SEATFreak]

By building them for this year, where they did want and did run 6!

Sorry good buddy but after "By building them for this year,..." you really are going to have to check if that makes sense to you because it doesn't to me.

Does "Where they did want.." either mean where they did want six Leons 'built' or where they did want six Leons 'raced'?

I know they did indeed run 6 Leons last season.

[Alfa Fan]

I think the confusion was I still see 2007 as "next season", and 2006 as either "this season" or "last season", confusing I know ;)

[Captain VXR]

But why would they?

To stay competing

[LiamM]

I think the confusion was I still see 2007 as "next season", and 2006 as either "this season" or "last season", confusing I know

Its not even that!


By building them for this year, where they did want and did run 6!

You said this year, its still 2006 aint it?

[Alfa Fan]

Well then it makes sense lol

By building them for this year (2006), where they did want and did run 6!

I don't see the error.

[LiamM]

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=897

Seats are filling fast it seems

[Captain VXR]

http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=897

Seats are filling fast it seems

Seat Italia have their own Leons though and would probably run like GR Asia did.

[SEATFreak]

Thanks to you Liam I am an avid fan of touringcartimes and I regularly check with it to see ay changes in news.Thanks. :up:

Without linking into the site I see they are finalising the deal for the second. Is Davide Roda not running with them then, and will Roberto be running the Toledo Cupra?

* I know it seems like I know what I am talking about but everything I mention is from things I have seen. Nothing is from memory. I just wanted to make that clear. :)

[LiamM]

For a start I'd just like to say I didnt notice the pun in my previous post until now I did mean seats, as in chairs


Seat Italia have their own Leons though and would probably run like GR Asia did.

While true I can't really see the factory allowing SEAT Sport Italia to race their own without any backing, purely for the fact what if they beat the factory cars? I can't see them being happy about that

[Captain VXR]

BMW Germany did not mind Luca Ragoni being the top BMW at one event though...

[SEATFreak]

I see Michael Jourdain has been testing a SEATSport Leon in Spain. Granted, I may be a bit unclear as to how SEATSport is structured (though I think I do know Thommo's and Mullers were run and prepared by ORECA), but from the sounds of things if Michael is chosen to run next season will the SEAT Sport Mexico team be entering under the SEATSport banner in the same way the SEAT Sport Sweden team with Rickard Rydell or the SEAT Sport France team with Yvan Muller?

http://www.seatsportuk.co.uk/wtcc/wtccnews_display06.asp?ID=194

[Subaru WRX]

I think that if Jourdain will be doing the 2007 WTCC it will be with a factory supported car not a works one, as Seat for next year will have Tarquini, Muller, Gene and the Independent champion Cronnel (shame he is isnt an independent one that guy with that factory orange Leon)

[SEATFreak]

it will be with a factory supported car not a works one

What's the difference?

I thought all the SEAT Sport teams (Thompson's SEATSport UK, Muller's SEATSport France, Tertings SEAT Sport Deutschland, Gene's SEATSport Espana and Tarquini's SEAT Sport Italia) that were a part of the 6 man SEATSport team were works cars. Even though Muller's and Thompsons were run and prepared by ORECA.

[Subaru WRX]

true, but I was speaking about a car for Jourdain like Coronnel drove this year, that factory backed "Orange" Seat Leon !

[LiamM]

Coronel drove a semi-works SEAT Leon this year didnt he - he had support from SEAT Netherlands

[Subaru WRX]

so why he has competed for the Yokohama Trophy ? thats illegal !!

[LiamM]

I thought the only reason he got the Leon is because he had help - what what degree I don't know

[Captain VXR]

SEAT Holland backing

[Subaru WRX]

Seat Holland, so for that reason that other indepindent and privateers teams and drivers, nearly protested againt this car and Coronel !!

[100%hondafan]

they should have if he had backing from seat he shouldnt be in the indepandants

[SEATFreak]

Am I to understand then that everyone has pretty much established a reason why GR Asia was allowed to continue in the Yokohama Independents trophies last season?

It is just I was going to offer a suggestion. Did SEAT not just provide the Leon to SEAT Holland for GR Asia to run? It is just I noticed, as we all know, Jamie Puig runs what was the 6-man works team last year. But a guy called Paul Ridgeway pretty much runs GR Asia (Team Owner (w/Tim Huxley), Team Manager & Technical Director).

With the difference in the guy who runs the team I was wondering if GR Asia was therefore a full Independent Team but run on behalf of SEAT Holland with cars from SEAT.

[100%hondafan]

not sure how gr asia got around not being a works team i would imagine them only getting a bit from seat holland not enough for a full campaign.

but the team owners/managers doesnt make a diffrence any team can be works who ever run it.

Mr blobby could run a works team as long as it had manufacturer support.

[cybersdorf]

To stay competing
They will be busy throughout 2007, with or without WTCC.

[tyreman2]

Heard a rumour today that there may be 10 Leons in WTCC next season
2 out of Barcelona
2 from Oreca
2 from GR Asia
2 fromSeat Italia and
2 from a new team with Pierre yves-corthals as the no 1 driver
(Italia and Corthals team may only run 1 each)

[SEATFreak]

Heard a rumour today that there may be 10 Leons in WTCC next season
2 out of Barcelona
2 from Oreca
2 from GR Asia
2 fromSeat Italia and
2 from a new team with Pierre yves-corthals as the no 1 driver
(Italia and Corthals team may only run 1 each)

Great to see the Leon so well represented in the WTCC again if it does come to fruition.

But I have a few questions re the teams running them.

Assuming the two from Barcelona is simply SEATSport, does the two from ORECA (drivers unknown. One poss. Thommo) mean ORECA will be going it alone?

And who are the drivers for the rest. Especially GR Asia considering Tom Coronel looks set to replace Rickard and SEAT Italia when I have heard Colciago confirmed but nothing about Davide Roda being confirmed.