New cars in Japan to run at base weight on first appearance
The BMW 320sis of RPM Racing and Liqui Moly Team Engstler, the Chevrolet Cruze LTs of China Dragon and Son Veng Racing, and the Honda Civic of Takuya Izawa, will all run at base weight on their 2013 WTCC season debut at Suzuka next weekend.
With no normally aspirated cars having competed this season, no compensation weight has been calculated for the BMW and Chevrolet models as they compete in the WTCC Asia Trophy for the final three rounds of the season. This will work to the disadvantage of the BMWs, with their turbocharged equivalents permitted to run at -20kg at Suzuka after the lastest compensation weight calculations.
The three Chevrolet Cruze LTs of Jerónimo Badaraco, Ng Kin Veng and Filipe de Souza will benefit however as the 1.6T models will carry the full 40kg of ballast.
An oddity in the weight calculation will be the Honda of Takuya Izawa, making his debut with Honda, as he will also run with no ballast whilst team-mates Tiago Monteiro and Gabriele Tarquini will carry 20kg.
This is because the car Izawa will be using is the 2012 test car which was raced by Monteiro for the final three rounds of 2012. The car is treated differently as it is built to a separate homologation (officially homologated under national regulations as a Scandinavian Touring Car).
Honda have only built three cars to the FIA S2000 specification for the 2013 season for Tarquini, Monteiro and Norbert Michelisz, and have built no more with the Championship switching to new rules from next season.
Race Of Japan Compensation Weight
Car Model – Ballast – Final Weight
Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T – +40kg – 1,190kg
Honda Civic Super 2000 TC (2013 WTCC homologation)- +20kg – 1,170kg
Chevrolet Cruze LT – +0kg – 1,150kg
BMW 320si – +0kg – 1,150kg
Honda Civic Super 2000 TC (2012 STCC homologation) – +0kg – 1,150kg
BMW 320 TC – -20kg – 1,130kg
SEAT León WTCC – -20kg – 1,130kg
Lada Granta Sport – -20kg – 1,130kg
