2008 World Touring Car Championship

The 2008 World Touring Car Championship was a motor racing competition for Super 2000 Cars and Diesel 2000 Cars. Organised by the FIA, it comprised the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Drivers and the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Manufacturers.^[1] The championship began on 2 March, and ended on 16 November, after twenty-four races. It was the fifth World Touring Car Championship and the fourth since its 2005 return.

2008 World Touring Car Championship

World Drivers' Champion:
Yvan Muller
World Manufacturers' Champion:
SEAT

Previous

2007

Next

2009

Frenchman Yvan Muller won the Drivers title by 26 points from SEAT team-mate Gabriele Tarquini, with Chevrolet's Robert Huff finishing third just a point behind Tarquini. The Manufacturers Championship was awarded to SEAT.

Teams and drivers

Yvan Muller (front) and SEAT won the 2008 championships, succeeding Andy Priaulx (behind) and BMW.

Andy Priaulx, BMW 320si, 2008 WTCC round, Brands Hatch

Alain Menu, Chevrolet Lacetti, 2008 WTCC round, Brands Hatch

Gabriele Tarquini, SEAT León TDI, 2008 WTCC round, Brands Hatch

James Thompson, Honda Accord Euro R, 2008 WTCC round, Imola

Tom Coronel, SEAT León TFSI, 2008 WTCC round, Okayama

Jaap van Lagen, Lada 110 2.0, 2008 WTCC round, Brands Hatch

The full season entry list.^[2]

Team	Car	No.	Drivers	Rounds
Manufacturer Teams
BMW Team UK	BMW 320si	1	Andy Priaulx	All
BMW Team Germany		2	Jörg Müller	All
		3	Augusto Farfus Jr.	All
BMW Team Italy-Spain		4	Alessandro Zanardi	All
		5	Félix Porteiro	All
Chevrolet RML	Chevrolet Lacetti	6	Nicola Larini	All
		7	Robert Huff	All
		8	Alain Menu	All
SEAT Sport	SEAT León TDI	9	Jordi Gené	All
		10	Rickard Rydell	All
		11	Gabriele Tarquini	All
		12	Yvan Muller	All
N.technology	Honda Accord Euro R	15	James Thompson	3–12
SEAT Sport	SEAT León TDI	18	Tiago Monteiro	All
SUNRED Engineering	SEAT León	20	Tom Coronel	All
SEAT Sport	SEAT León	21	José Manuel Pérez-Aicart	3
Yokohama Trophy
Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport	BMW 320si	13	Ibrahim Okyay	All
Wiechers-Sport	BMW 320si	16	Olivier Tielemans	1–3, 5–6, 8
SUNRED Engineering	SEAT León	22	Michal Matejovský	5
Exagon Engineering	SEAT León	23	Pierre-Yves Corthals	1–10
Scuderia Proteam Motorsport	BMW 320si	26	Stefano D'Aste	1–11
Russian Bears Motorsport	Lada 110 2.0	27	Kirill Ladygin	9–12
		28	Viktor Shapovalov	3–12
		29	Jaap van Lagen	3–12
Scuderia Proteam Motorsport	BMW 320si	31	Sergio Hernández	All
SUNRED Engineering	SEAT León	32	Oscar Nogués	4
Wiechers-Sport	BMW 320si	33	Laurent Cazenave	4
Liqui Moly Team Engstler	BMW 320si	42	Franz Engstler	All
		43	Andrey Romanov	1–6, 8–12
Petrol GT Racing Team	BMW 320si	45	Georgi Tanev	8–10
Scuderia Proteam Motorsport				12
Wiechers-Sport	BMW 320si	49	Duncan Huisman	8
Golden Motors	Honda Accord Euro R	54	Aleksandr Lvov	3, 5
		55	Andrey Smetsky	3, 5
Poulsen Motorsport	BMW 320si	60	Kristian Poulsen	6–8
Wiechers-Sport				10
Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport	BMW 320si	62	Aytaç Biter	7–8
SUNRED Engineering	SEAT León	75	Norbert Michelisz	11
		76	Lourenço Beirão da Veiga	7
		77	Tom Boardman	6
		78	Marin Čolak	8
		79	Duarte Félix da Costa	10
Asian Wild Card Entries
Wiechers-Sport	BMW 320si	17	Takayuki Aoki	10–12
N.technology	Honda Accord Euro R	66	André Couto	12
Thunder Asia Racing	BMW 320si	69	Melvin Choo	11–12
N.technology	Honda Accord Euro R	72	Yukinori Taniguchi	10–11
Chevrolet RML	Chevrolet Lacetti	80	Manabu Orido	10–12
Liqui Moly Team Engstler	BMW 320i	81	Masaki Kano	11–12
Wiechers-Sport	BMW 320si	88	Matthew Marsh	11–12
Guest Drivers
Volvo Olsbergs Green Racing	Volvo C30	63	Robert Dahlgren	7

Note: Macau-based RPM Racing Team had planned to race one Toyota Altezza and one Honda Civic Type-R for Macanese drivers Lei Kit Meng and Jo Rosa Merszei in the final races in Macau.^[3] Although car numbers were allocated to them (#64 for Meng (Toyota Altezza) and #65 for Merszei (Honda Civic)), the FIA Touring Car Bureau rejected the entries because neither of these cars had been homologated by the FIA.^[4]

Driver changes

Driver changes from the 2007 World Touring Car Championship were:

Changed Teams

• Olivier Tielemans: N-Technology → Wiechers-Sport
• Tom Coronel: GR Asia → SUNRED Engineering
• Stefano D'Aste: Wiechers-Sport → Scuderia Proteam Motorsport

Entering WTCC including those who entered one-off rounds in 2007

• Rickard Rydell: No full-time drive → SEAT Sport
• Ibrahim Okyay: Turkish Touring Car Championship → Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport
• Viktor Shapovalov: Dutch Supercar Challenge → Russian Bears Motorsport
• Jaap van Lagen: Porsche Supercup → Russian Bears Motorsport
• Franz Engstler: Asian Touring Car Series → Liqui Moly Team Engstler
• Andrey Romanov: Asian Touring Car Series → Liqui Moly Team Engstler

Leaving WTCC

• Michel Jourdain Jr.: SEAT Sport → No full-time drive
• Roberto Colciago: SEAT Sport Italia → Italian Endurance Touring Championship
• Emmet O'Brien: GR Asia → Danish Touring Car Championship
• Maurizio Ceresoli: GR Asia → No full-time drive
• Luca Rangoni: Scuderia Proteam Motorsport → Porsche Carrera Cup Italy
• Miguel Freitas: Racing for Belgium → SEAT León Supercopa Spain

Calendar

A provisional calendar was released in November, 2007.^[5][6]

Sweden was to be included in the calendar for 21 September but the FIA confirmed on 3 May 2008 that the Swedish round at the Scandinavian Raceway was replaced by an Italy round at the revamped Imola Circuit.^[7]

Round		Race Name	Track	Date
1	R1	HSBC Race of Brazil	Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba	2 March
	R2
2	R3	Telmex Race of Mexico	Autódromo Miguel E. Abed	6 April
	R4
3	R5	Monroe Race of Spain	Circuit Ricardo Tormo	18 May
	R6
4	R7	Courtyard Race of France	Circuit de Pau Ville	1 June
	R8
5	R9	Stihl Race of the Czech Republic	Masaryk Circuit	15 June
	R10
6	R11	Race of Turismo de Portugal	Autódromo do Estoril	13 July
	R12
7	R13	Courtyard Race of UK	Brands Hatch	27 July
	R14
8	R15	Atari Race of Germany	Motorsport Arena Oschersleben	31 August
	R16
9	R17	Courtyard Race of Europe	Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari	21 September
	R18
10	R19	Monroe Race of Italy	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza	5 October
	R20
11	R21	Race Pro of Japan	Okayama International Circuit	26 October
	R22
12	R23	Canon Race of Macau	Guia Circuit	16 November
	R24

Results and standings

Races

Race	Race Name	Pole Position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Winning team	Winning independent	Report
1	Race of Brazil	Yvan Muller	Andy Priaulx	Yvan Muller	SEAT Sport	Olivier Tielemans	Report
2			Augusto Farfus	Gabriele Tarquini	SEAT Sport	Olivier Tielemans
3	Race of Mexico	Jordi Gené	Tiago Monteiro	Jordi Gené	SEAT Sport	Pierre-Yves Corthals	Report
4			Yvan Muller	Tiago Monteiro	SEAT Sport	Pierre-Yves Corthals
5	Race of Spain	Yvan Muller	Jörg Müller	Robert Huff	Chevrolet RML	Stefano D'Aste	Report
6			Alain Menu	Alain Menu	Chevrolet RML	Sergio Hernández
7	Race of France	Augusto Farfus	Augusto Farfus	Augusto Farfus	BMW Team Germany	Laurent Cazenave	Report
8			Rickard Rydell	Andy Priaulx	BMW Team UK	Stefano D'Aste
9	Race of the Czech Republic	Alessandro Zanardi	Félix Porteiro	Alessandro Zanardi	BMW Team Italy-Spain	Sergio Hernández	Report
10			Alessandro Zanardi	Gabriele Tarquini	SEAT Sport	Sergio Hernández
11	Race of Portugal	Nicola Larini	Nicola Larini	Rickard Rydell	SEAT Sport	Pierre-Yves Corthals	Report
12			Nicola Larini	Tiago Monteiro	SEAT Sport	Sergio Hernández
13	Race of UK	Augusto Farfus	Robert Huff	Jörg Müller	BMW Team Germany	Stefano D'Aste	Report
14			Augusto Farfus	Alain Menu	Chevrolet RML	Stefano D'Aste
15	Race of Germany	Robert Huff	Augusto Farfus	Augusto Farfus	BMW Team Germany	Stefano D'Aste	Report
16			Augusto Farfus	Félix Porteiro	BMW Team Italy-Spain	Sergio Hernández
17	Race of Europe	Rickard Rydell	James Thompson	Yvan Muller	SEAT Sport	Sergio Hernández	Report
18			Tiago Monteiro	James Thompson	N.Technology	Sergio Hernández
19	Race of Italy	Yvan Muller	Andy Priaulx	Yvan Muller	SEAT Sport	Pierre-Yves Corthals	Report
20			Alain Menu	Gabriele Tarquini	SEAT Sport	Sergio Hernández
21	Race of Japan	Augusto Farfus	Jörg Müller	Rickard Rydell	SEAT Sport	Stefano D'Aste	Report
22			James Thompson	Tom Coronel	SUNRED Racing	Sergio Hernández
23	Guia Race of Macau	Alain Menu	Andy Priaulx	Alain Menu	Chevrolet RML	Sergio Hernández	Report
24			Augusto Farfus	Robert Huff	Chevrolet RML	Franz Engstler

Championship standings

Points system
1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th
10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1

Drivers' Championship

The final standings in the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship for Drivers were :

Pos Driver BRA MEX ESP FRA CZE POR UK GER EUR ITA JPN MAC  Pts  1 Yvan Muller 1 5 6 4 4 8 2 7 8 5 3 2 2 11 11 8 1 5 1 4 7 6 3 2 114 2 Gabriele Tarquini 5 1 5 3 2 5 5 4 6 1 13 11 7 5 24 16 5 Ret 2 1 10 Ret 7 12† 88 3 Robert Huff Ret Ret 9 9 1 2 4 5 9 DSQ 4 5 21 10 2 3 4 3 6 26† 4 5 5 1 87 4 Andy Priaulx 4 2 10 8 7 3 8 1 14 8 6 3 3 Ret Ret 5 11 7 3 25† 3 22† 2 3 81 5 Rickard Rydell 2 7 2 2 10 7 6 3 10 17 1 8 11 9 6 20 2 6 16 9 1 9 Ret 4 77 6 Augusto Farfus DSQ 6 11 10 Ret 20 1 6 4 3 Ret 10 Ret 6 1 6 7 8 Ret 8 6 2 4 11† 63 7 Jörg Müller 3 4 14 12 5 4 9 13 5 7 9 7 1 4 26 9 8 2 9 10 2 Ret 10 Ret 60 8 Jordi Gené 11 8 1 5 3 6 3 19 13 14 5 9 9 Ret 5 4 17 17 7 2 11 10 6 Ret 56 9 Alain Menu Ret 10 8 7 8 1 10 Ret 3 6 11 14 8 1 3 Ret Ret 12 11 5 Ret 13 1 13† 54 10 Félix Porteiro 6 3 16 20† 22 10 15 12 2 4 8 4 6 2 8 1 10 Ret NC 12 Ret 8 14 DNS 51 11 Nicola Larini Ret 12 3 Ret 6 9 7 2 11 11 2 6 23 12 Ret 11 6 4 5 3 16 12 9 Ret 48 12 Tiago Monteiro 17 13 7 1 18 Ret 13 10 12 10 7 1 16 15 4 Ret 13 11 4 6 5 7 11 Ret 43 13 Alessandro Zanardi 15 11 15 11 12 18 12 11 1 2 20 13 4 3 12 19 12 9 8 7 13 Ret 23† 5 36 14 Tom Coronel 7 9 4 6 9 DNS 14 9 18 12 10 12 5 22 7 2 15 15 10 24† 8 1 22† Ret 35 15 James Thompson 11 11 11 8 7 9 DNS DNS 10 14 15 Ret 3 1 Ret 11 17 4 8 14† 25 16 Sergio Hernández 14† 15 17 15 23 12 17 17 15 13 Ret 15 13 8 10 7 9 10 14 13 12 3 12 Ret 9 17 Franz Engstler 10 17 18 16 17 17 19 15 16 23† 18 18 17 13 Ret 15 16 14 13 16 14 11 15 6 3 18 Stefano D'Aste 9 16 13 14 14 15 18 14 25† 21 19 16 12 7 9 13 18 16 24 14 9 23† 2 19 Manabu Orido 15 17 Ret 18 16 7 2 20 Olivier Tielemans 8 14 19 17 15 Ret 19 Ret Ret DNS 22 18 1 21 Matthew Marsh 21 14 17 8 1 — Andrey Romanov 12 19 20 18 16 Ret 20 20 20 16 16 20 17 Ret 20 20 18 Ret 22 15 20 9 0 — Ibrahim Okyay 16 20 21 19 24 19 Ret Ret Ret 19 17 23 18 Ret 19 Ret Ret 21 19 21 Ret DNS 18 10 0 — Duncan Huisman 16 10 0 — Pierre-Yves Corthals 13 18 12 13 Ret 13 Ret 21 17 15 12 19 14 16 25† 12 14 13 12 Ret 0 — José Manuel Pérez-Aicart 13 14 0 — Marin Čolak 13 17 0 — André Couto 13 Ret 0 — Kristian Poulsen 14 22 15 17 18 14 23† 15 0 — Jaap van Lagen Ret Ret 21 18 21 Ret 15 21 DNS 18 14 22 19 18 Ret 19 18 17 21 Ret 0 — Takayuki Aoki 17 Ret 15 Ret Ret 15† 0 — Aleksandr Lvov 19 16 23 20 0 — Laurent Cazenave 16 Ret 0 — Norbert Michelisz Ret 16 0 — Oscar Nogués Ret 16 0 — Tom Boardman Ret 17 0 — Georgi Tanev 21 21 21 19 20 18 19 Ret 0 — Viktor Shapovalov 20 Ret DNQ DNQ Ret 18 Ret 24 19 20 20 23 Ret DNS Ret 22 DNS DNS DNS DNS 0 — Yukinori Taniguchi 21 Ret 20 19 0 — Lourenço Beirão da Veiga 20 19 0 — Kirill Ladygin Ret 22 22 23 19 Ret Ret Ret 0 — Melvin Choo 23 20 Ret Ret 0 — Duarte Félix Da Costa Ret 20 0 — Andrey Smetsky 21 21 24 22 0 — Aytaç Biter 22 21 23 24 0 — Masaki Kano 24 21 Ret DNS 0 — Michal Matejovský 22 Ret 0 guest drivers ineligible for points — Robert Dahlgren 24† DNS * Pos Driver BRA MEX ESP FRA CZE POR UK GER EUR ITA JPN MAC  Pts

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points classification Blue Non-points classification Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired, not classified (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

† — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.

Drivers' Championship points were awarded on a 10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis to the first eight finishers in each race.

Manufacturers' Championship

Pos	Manufacturer	BRA		MEX		ESP		FRA		CZE		POR		UK		GER		EUR		ITA		JPN		MAC		Pts
1	SEAT	1	1	1	1	2	5	2	3	6	1	1	1	2	5	4	2	1	5	1	1	1	1	3	2	326
		2	5	2	2	3	6	3	4	8	5	3	2	5	9	5	4	2	6	2	2	5	6	6	4
2	BMW	3	2	10	8	5	3	1	1	1	2	6	3	1	2	1	1	7	2	3	7	2	2	2	3	274
		4	3	11	10	7	4	8	6	2	3	8	4	3	3	8	5	8	7	8	8	3	3	4	5
3	Chevrolet	Ret	10	3	7	1	1	4	2	3	6	2	5	8	1	2	3	4	3	5	3	4	5	1	1	238
		Ret	12	8	9	6	2	7	5	9	11	4	6	21	10	3	11	6	4	6	5	16	12	5	13
4	Honda					11	11	11	8	7	9	DNS	DNS	10	14	15	Ret	3	1	21	11	17	4	8	14	60
						19	16			23	20									Ret	Ret	20	19	13	Ret
Pos	Manufacturer	BRA		MEX		ESP		FRA		CZE		POR		UK		GER		EUR		ITA		JPN		MAC		Pts

Manufacturers' Championship points were awarded on a 10–8–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis to the first eight finishers in each race. However, only the results of the best two cars for each manufacturer were taken into account.

Yokohama Independents' Trophy

Championship promoter KSO (Kigema Sport Organisation Ltd) organised the Yokohama Independents’ Trophies within the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship.^[8]

Eligibility for the Independent Drivers’ Trophy was exclusively decided by KSO, taking into consideration the Team’s CV and records, the Driver’s CV and records and the Car’s technical characteristics.^[8]

Pos	Driver	BRA		MEX		ESP		FRA		CZE		POR		UK		GER		EUR		ITA		JPN		MAC		Pts
1	Sergio Hernández	14†	15	17	15	23	12	17	17	15	13	Ret	15	13	8	10	7	9	10	14	13	12	3	12	Ret	186
2	Franz Engstler	10	17	18	16	17	17	19	15	16	23†	18	18	17	13	Ret	15	16	14	13	16	14	11	15	6	149
3	Stefano D'Aste	9	16	13	14	14	15	18	14	25†	21	19	16	12	7	9	13	18	16	24	14	9	23†			137
4	Pierre-Yves Corthals	13	18	12	13	Ret	13	Ret	21	17	15	12	19	14	16	25†	12	14	13	12	Ret					112
5	Andrei Romanov	12	19	20	18	16	Ret	20	20	20	16	16	20			17	Ret	20	20	18	Ret	22	15	20	9	83
6	Ibrahim Okyay	16	20	21	19	24	19	Ret	Ret	Ret	19	17	23	18	Ret	19	Ret	Ret	21	19	21	Ret	DNS	18	10	51
7	Olivier Tielemans	8	14	19	17	15	Ret			19	Ret	Ret	DNS			22	18									43
8	Jaap van Lagen											15	21	DNS	18	14	22	19	18	Ret	19	18	17	21	Ret	38
9	Matthew Marsh																					21	14	17	8	36
10	Kristian Poulsen											14	22	15	17	18	14			23†	15					32
11	Georgi Tanev															21	21	21	19	20	18			19	Ret	20
12	Takayuki Aoki																			17	Ret	15	Ret	Ret	15†	18
13	Aleksandr Lvov					19	16			23	20															15
14	Laurent Cazenave							16	Ret																	10
15	Marin Čolak															13	17									9
16	Andrey Smetsky					21	21			24	22															8
17	Oscar Nogués							Ret	16																	6
18	Tom Boardman											Ret	17													6
19	Norbert Michelisz																					Ret	16			4
20	Kirill Ladygin																	Ret	22	22	23	19	Ret	Ret	Ret	4
21	Viktor Shapovalov											Ret	24	19	20	20	23	Ret	DNS	Ret	22	DNS	DNS	DNS	DNS	4
22	Michal Matějovský									22	Ret															3
23	Lourenço Beirão da Veiga													20	19											3
24	Duarte Félix da Costa																			Ret	20					2
25	Melvin Choo																					23	20	Ret	Ret	2
26	Masaki Kano																					24	21	Ret	DNS	1
—	Aytaç Biter													22	21	23	24									0
Pos	Driver	BRA		MEX		ESP		FRA		CZE		POR		UK		GER		EUR		ITA		JPN		MAC		Pts

The Yokohama Independents' Trophy used a similar system to the Drivers’ Championship, however double points are awarded at Macau.^[8]

Yokohama Teams' Trophy

Pos	Team	BRA		MEX		ESP		FRA		CZE		POR		UK		GER		EUR		ITA		JPN		MAC		Pts
1	Scuderia Proteam Motorsport	9	15	13	14	14	12	17	14	15	13	19	15	12	7	9	7	9	10	14	13	9	3	12	Ret	334
		14†	16	17	15	23	15	18	17	25†	21	Ret	16	13	8	10	13	18	16	24	14	12	23†	19	Ret
2	Liqui Moly Team Engstler	10	17	18	16	16	17	19	15	16	16	16	18	17	13	17	15	16	14	13	16	14	11	15	6	228
		12	19	20	18	17	Ret	20	20	20	23†	18	20			Ret	Ret	20	20	18	Ret	22	15	20	9
3	Exagon Engineering	13	18	12	13	Ret	13	Ret	21	17	15	12	19	14	16	25†	12	14	13	12	Ret					112
4	Wiechers-Sport	8	14	19	17	15	Ret	16	Ret	19	Ret	Ret	DNS			22	18			17	15	15	14	17	8	105
																				23†	Ret	21	Ret	Ret	15†
5	Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport	16	20	21	19	24	19	Ret	Ret	Ret	19	17	23	18	21	19	24	Ret	21	19	21	Ret	DNS	18	10	51
														22	Ret	23	Ret
6	Russian Bears Motorsport											15	21	19	18	14	22	19	18	22	19	18	17	21	Ret	46
												Ret	24	DNS	20	20	23	Ret	22	Ret	22	19	Ret	Ret	Ret
7	SUNRED Engineering							Ret	16	22	Ret	Ret	17	20	19	13	17			Ret	20	Ret	16			33
8	Poulsen Motorsport											14	22	15	17	18	14									26
9	Golden Motors					19	16			23	20															23
						21	21			24	22
10	Petrol GT Racing Team															21	21	21	19	20	18					12
11	Thunder Asia Racing																					23	20	Ret	Ret	2
Pos	Team	BRA		MEX		ESP		FRA		CZE		POR		UK		GER		EUR		ITA		JPN		MAC		Pts

All the teams taking part in any of the rounds of the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship were eligible to score points for the Yokohama Teams' Trophy.^[8] Points were awarded to the two best classified cars of each team, providing they were driven by Independent drivers.^[8] All other cars of that same team were considered invisible as far as scoring points was concerned.^[8]