2008 race confirmed at Salzburgring
The European Touring Car Cup will be held at Salzburgring in Austria on October 18-19th as TouringCarTimes reported already in December last year. New for this year is that driver taking part in one of three qualifying events will be eligible to take part in the race. Previously only drivers that had taken part in 50% of their own national championships were allowed.
Two of the three qualifying events will be held in Braga, Portugal, September 14th (PTCC race) and Sachsenring, Germany, September 21st (ADAC Procar race). The first qualifying event was held at Vallelunga on April 13th during the Italian Touring Car Championship race, oddly enough even before these rules were announced. Drivers only have to take part in one of these races to be allowed to enter the ETC Cup.
According to the press officer of the ETC Cup, Fabio Ravaioli, the qualifying races are aimed for drivers that does not take part in at least 50% of the national championships.
“The qualifying races are for national drivers who don’t take part in the whole championship or drivers from countries in which there is not a Touring Car Championship,” said Ravaioli to TouringCarTimes.com.
Just as last year works-drivers from the World Touring Car Championship are not allowed to take part in the race. But independent-drivers are allowed and can take part in one of the qualifying races to be able to run in the ETC Cup.
The event at Sachsenring will be run with two 30 minutes practice sessions on the Saturday followed by a 30 minute qualifying session. The Sunday will start with 15 minutes of warm-up and two 50 kilometer races. The grid for the second race is decided by the first race results, but with top eight in reverse order.
Just as last year the eligible cars are those complying with the FIA Super 2000, Super 2000 Diesel, Super Production and Super 1600.
Eurosport will broadcast the event live, just as last year and Michel Nykjær, Denmark, is the reigning champion.
The list of rules:
1. Four different titles to be awarded:
a) FIA Drivers’ European Touring Car Cup Super 2000
b) FIA Drivers’ European Touring Car Cup Super Production
c) FIA Drivers’ European Touring Car Cup Super 1600 (NEW)
d) FIA Touring Car Nations Cup
2. Invited national championships: those which adopt the FIA Super 2000 and Super Production technical regulations: Baltic States, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Sweden, UK
3. Eligible cars: those complying with the FIA Super 2000, Super 2000 Diesel, Super Production and Super 1600 technical regulations
4. Eligible drivers: drivers who have competed in a minimum of 50% of their own National Championships; drivers designated by their ASN and who have not taken part in the FIA WTCC with a Manufacturer’s team; competitors belonging to a country in which there is no national Championship and who have been designated by their ASN.
5. Qualifying events: also eligible are drivers who have competed in the following events (NEW):
a) Vallelunga, Italy, 13th April 2008
b) Braga, Portugal, 14th September 2008
c) Sachsenring, Germany, 21st September 2008
6. Event format:
a) Saturday: two 30-minute practice sessions; one 30-minute qualifying session
b) Sunday: one 15-minute warm-up session; two back-to-back 50 km races
c) Grid of Race 2 determined by Race 1 results, with top-8 in reverse order
7. Point scoring system:
a) at each of the two races the following points will be awarded in the three classes: S2000, SP and S1600
b) 1st 10 points, 2nd 8 points; 3rd 6 points; 4th 5 points; 5th 4 points; 6th 3 points; 7th 2 points; 8th 1 point
8. TV coverage: Eurosport will broadcast the event live
