The departures of BMW and SEAT have pushed series promoter Marcello Lotti to fight for a revamping of the championship – the debut of new engine rules, a potential collaboration with the USTCC and a race in the US, etc – and his latest target is to bring FIA WTCC action to the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife.
According to British magazine Autosport, Lotti is very much fancying 2-lap double races in the FIA WTCC series on the historic 12.9-mile course, but certain conditions have to be met.
First off, the course has to get the approval of the International Automobile Federation in order to make the WTCC calendar. Pending that approval, the manufacturers involved in the series will also be consulted on such a move.
“I have already looked at a two-lap race before the Nurburgring 24 Hours, but the circuit needs a grade-four licence from the FIA,” said the Italian promoter in an interview with Autosport. “Even then, we would need the support of the manufacturers.”
“But I tell you, if tomorrow this kind of traditional circuit can be homologated, or can have a homologation that permits us to run, why not? Seriously we can consider it, but we're not there yet,” he added.
For the time being, the most important racing event hosted by the Nordschleife course is the Nurburgring 24-Hour race, held in the month of May. In addition to some other minor touring car series that come to the 12.9-mile course year in and out, several car manufacturers make use of the race track in order to evaluate some of their high-end sports cars.
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