FIA WTCC Race of Thailand next week.
22 Oct 2015

With next week’s 31 October - 1 November FIA World Touring Car Championship racing in Thailand, offering the excitement of a Championship title within grabs, all eyes are focusing on current Champion Jose Maria “Pechito” Lopez who is very well placed to renew his fantastic achievement from last year. The Citroen driver has been a force throughout the season and only his team mates, Sebastien Loeb and Yvan Muller have managed to keep within the points to still, theoretically at least, challenge for the Championship.  Citroen Racing Team already celebrated the Manufacturer’s title after the last race in China and now awaits the conclusion to determine which one of their drivers will be crowned as the new Champion.  With the Race of Thailand next and the final races in Qatar, Lopez leads with 396 points, followed by Muller 321 points and Loeb in third overall with 282 points.  Meanwhile Honda and Lada drivers will also want to put on a good performance to ensure they climb up the final table. 

The other drivers who are also hoping for some glory, in this case the YOKOHAMA Trophy, which incorporates important prize money and prestige to the non-works teams and privateers, will see current leader Michelisz, as well as Bennani, Chilton and Valente fighting it out on the tarmac to earn the valuable points still available in the remaining races of the season.  

A significant interest is also being generated locally by the fact that not only is it the first time the FIA WTCC takes place in Thailand, but additionally the 26 year old Thai WTCC rookie Tin Sritrai, representing Campos Racing, will take the start in Buriram’s Chang International Circuit. He will undoubtedly want to perform at his best and take advantage of the home crowd support.  Tin comes from a motorsports family which had his father Burin win the Thai Rally Championship some years ago and his brother Vasin also competing in Motorsports and having won the Super 1500 title among other racing accolades. Tin also hosts ‘Sane Keela’ (Sport Charming) on Thai national television and interviews athletes from a number of sports, the programme won the Thai Television Awards’ best sporting programme of 2015. 

The Japanese Tyre Manufacturer YOKOHAMA is the FIA World Touring Car Championship Official Tyre supplier.