Photo: WTCC Media

SEAT could run shared 1.6 turbo with Skoda in 2011

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SEAT could return to the WTCC as an official manufacturer entry in 2011, with a 1.6 turbo unit alongside sister marque Skoda’s rally project.

According to Motorsport Aktuell, Skoda will run the 1.6 turbo for the IRC next year, and SEAT are expected to run the engine as well in their WTCC programme.

Skoda have had a sensational season in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) this year, already clinching the manufacturers championship, and with drivers occupying the top three positions in the drivers standings with three rounds to go.

Benoît Bagur, former chief engineer with SEAT Sport, is said to be working on the development of 1.6 turbo engine for the Skoda Fabia S2000 rally car for 2011, and was present with the SUNRED team at Oschersleben.

SEAT could well be expected on the back of this to enter the 2011 WTCC fully as a manufacturer entry, this year the company’s involvement is as a support operation as ‘SEAT Customer Technologies’ to the SUNRED Engineering team, running the cars of Gabriele Tarquini, Jordi Gené, Tom Coronel, Tiago Monteiro, Fredy Barth & Michel Nykjaer.

BMW already confirmed at Oschersleben that it would be offering its 1.6 turbo to privateer entries in 2011, whilst RML recently bench tested the new Global Racing Engine (GRE) which will be run by the Chevrolet WTCC team next year.