Photo: WTCC Media

Thiessen: “Diesel harms the championship.”

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BMW Motorsport boss Mario Thiessen continues to confirm BMW’s skepticism against the diesel rules in the World Touring Car Championship. In a recent statement the German claimed that running diesel harms the WTCC.
“For BMW Motorsport, running a diesel engine is no the preferred option. This would harm the championship. In such a scenario, the WTCC would lose manufacturers,” said Thiessen to Autosport.

BMW still has not introduced the diesel version of their WTCC-racer despite it being tested a number of times and the reigning champion Andy Priaulx wanting one.

“For me it is quite clear that things need to be changed. I hope that BMW also decides to run diesel,” said Priaulx in an previous interview with Motorsport Aktuell.

BMW recently got a weight reduction of 15 kilos in the WTCC, something that SEAT strongly disliked. The SEAT-cars have for the last couple of races run with a sign on their cars saying: “CAUTION HEAVY CAR”.

Chevrolet and N-Tehcnology Honda on the other hand have ruled out the diesel option.