Sonderegger and Wiechers-Sport part ways

Swiss driver Urs Sonderegger is to leave the Wiechers-Sport team with immediate effect, with two parting on amicable terms with a replacement driver shortly to be announced.

The 2005 and 2007 WTCC independents’ championship winning team has confirmed that the 47-year-old Swiss driver’s last race was with them last weekend at Brno.

The German team missed the opening round of the season at Curitiba as they waited for their 1.6 litre turbocharged engine from BMW, as well as qualifying and race day at the Hungaroroing after Sonderegger had a heavy crash in practice.

Sonderegger’s best result was 15th in both races at Zolder in Belgium, and currently sits joint-last in the Yokohama Independents’ Trophy with 0 points.

The team have said they plan to announce their driver shortly, however Italian motorsport website Italia Racing has already revealed that the team’s replacement driver will be 2007 independents’ champion Stefano D’Aste, who will return to Wiechers for a third non-consecutive season.

The Italian driver’s first appearance will be at next weekend’s race at Porto. D’Aste will then miss the race at Donington Park due to commitments with the FIA GT4 championship, but return for the final two rounds of the WTCC’s European leg at Oschersleben and Valencia, and could possibly join the team in Asia for Japan, China & Macau.