New engines for Chevrolet at Valencia

The RML-run Chevrolet team will have new engines in all three of their cars for Yvan Muller, Rob Huff and Alain Menu this weekend as the team head to the final round of the European season, with the chance to leave with the manufacturers title three races early.

The WTCC’s 2011 sporting regulations specify only one engine change is permitted without penalty, which needs to take place between Monza and Valencia, with any further changes after this weekend inheriting a five-place grid penalty for the driver.

“We have opted for using the engine change possibility not because the engines were tired, on the contrary they are probably performing better now than at the beginning of the season,” said RML Engine Chief Engineer Arnaud Martin. “But because we wanted to be able to look into them, check the engine wear and gather useful information for next season, when no engine changes will be allowed and each engine will need to have a life cycle of 5000kms, the average distance of a full season.”

“I must say we have been extremely happy with what we have seen and checked, and with the reliability of our new 1.6 turbo engine. As per the new regulation, FIA inspectors were present and also doing their verifications and we were given full clearance on all aspects checked.”

Chevrolet currently have a 267 point lead over BMW Customer Racing Teams in the WTCC manufacturers’ standings, and just need to ensure they don’t lose any more than nine points to the BMW teams’ this weekend in order to secure their second consecutive manufacturers title.

Given that Chevrolet have outscored every other manufacturer at all of the race meetings this season, with the closest margin being at Zolder where they outscored SUNRED Engineering by just six points, it’s almost certain the US manufacturer will put the title out of reach this weekend.