Results remain provisional pending appeal
The results of both of today’s races at Okayama remain provisional, pending a potential appeal from Chevrolet over the decision to allow BMW Team RBM to run at a lower weight with a sequential shift gearbox.
Chevrolet announced their intention to appeal the WTCC’s decision on Saturday, and the team have 48 hours from Monday to formally submit the documentation.
BMW Team RBM and Liqui-Moly Team Engstler both switched to sequential shift pattern gearboxes this weekend, inheriting an additional 30kg as specified in the S2000 technical regulations. However, due to a separate calculation of penalty ballast for cars running with a sequential box over the last three meetings, and the only driver in those events with a sequential box being gentleman driver Andrei Romanov, it worked out advantageous to upgrade and effectively remove 60kg of penalty weight from the car.
Chevrolet are likely to argue that this interpretation by the stewards isn’t in the spirit of the regulations.
If BMW Team RBM and Engstler Motorsport had run with their usual 5-speed H pattern gearbox, the cars weight would be set at a minimum of 1,198kg. With the sequential box, they were able to lower the weight to 1,168kg.
The wet weather conditions on race day negated any advantage the BMW would have had from running at a lower weight, as the rear-wheel drive 320si struggled in the wet conditions. Andy Priaulx slid off in race two and into retirement as a result of aquaplaning – though it’s arguable he’d have been able to qualify on pole and been in position to finish second in the first race with more ballast.
It remains to be seen if the team decide to withdraw their appeal in light of today’s result, which saw them extend their lead in both the drivers and manufacturers championships.
If Chevrolet’s appeal is successful, and in the most extreme case both of RBM BMW’s are disqualified, Yvan Muller would be immediately confirmed as the champion as he’d have a 55 point lead with only 50 points remaining over Gabriele Tarquini, who’d be promoted to second place.
Colin Turkington would also be classed as the winner of race two, as his BMW would not be covered by the protest, running an older specification car with a 5-speed manual gearbox.
