WTCC – A year 2014 marked by change

On many levels, the WTCC will be transformed next year. Whether technically or sportingly, the World Touring Car Championship will undergo several profound changes. Changes intended to make this discipline even more spectacular and attractive than it already is. And it's off to a good start, with the announcement, at the end of June, of the arrival of Citroën, with Sébastien Loeb et Yvan muller.

As for the cars, the measures adopted aim to strengthen them and make them more "sexy", while retaining the DNA of the WTCC: that is to say that each model must be easily recognizable in comparison to its series variation. Thus, their power will be increased to reach 380 horsepower while the minimum weight will be lowered by 50 kilos, thus increasing it to 1100 kg, against 1150 this season. Still in terms of performance, the cars will see their ride height reduced from 80 to 60 mm and the size of the wheels increased from 17 to 18 inches. Furthermore, all cars will have McPherson suspensions installed, both at the front and at the rear.

All these improvements should, according to initial estimates, save nearly 1,5 seconds per kilometer. And this is only the first step in the transformation of this championship, the organizers already having an eye on 2015 where new changes could accompany the arrival of new manufacturers. If no name has filtered out yet, it is not impossible that a “puss-to-pass” system supposed to encourage overtaking maneuvers could be put in place at that time.