WTCC Safety Car Laps

[AndySpeed]

Why does the WTCC not add on laps accumulated behind the safety to the total race distance as in the BTCC? The current situation made the races at Marrakech look ridiculous at the weekend, with only 2 racing laps in the final race of the day.

It makes a mockery of travelling all that distance and setting up all the equipment to only have 2 racing laps in a reverse grid race that effectively saw Andy Priaulx 'gifted the win'.

The Moroccan marshals did their best, but they hardly have a huge motor racing scene in the country and it showed with their speed at clearing up any mess.

[BDunnell]

Why does the WTCC not add on laps accumulated behind the safety to the total race distance as in the BTCC? The current situation made the races at Marrakech look ridiculous at the weekend, with only 2 racing laps in the final race of the day.

It makes a mockery of travelling all that distance and setting up all the equipment to only have 2 racing laps in a reverse grid race that effectively saw Andy Priaulx 'gifted the win'.

The Moroccan marshals did their best, but they hardly have a huge motor racing scene in the country and it showed with their speed at clearing up any mess.

I quite agree. I didn't watch the races, but can't help but wonder whether it's worth the effort. What the crowd and local TV audience figures are I have no idea, but I can't imagine them being all that big.

[AndyRAC]

A complete farce, that's what it was.
The WTCC needs putting out of it's misery, another of the FiA's dead-duck series.

[Wim_Impreza]

WTCC is a complete farce. I even don't go live to the races in Zolder next month and they are only 35km from my home. I don't like the reserve grids and the handicap weights too. Again it was Farfus jr. who took another rider (this time Menu) out of the race.

[Allyc85]

I thought they did add laps up to a certain point like in the BTCC?

Anway the 2nd race was a disgrace, why the hell did they not red flag it so the fans and the drivers got the proper race that they deserved?! Each year I find the WTCC apealling less and less to me and after this weekend its got even more so, especially with so many boring TDI Seats!

[Dave B]

The Moroccan marshals did their best, but they hardly have a huge motor racing scene in the country and it showed with their speed at clearing up any mess.
Partly because of their inexperience, party because of the nature of the track, the clearups were a disgrace. The multiple shunt at the start of race 2 should have brought out the red flags, not a couple of chaps with pickup trucks and one crane. After that, the race - what was left of it - was barely worth bothering with.

[BDunnell]

In truth, the FIA ought to launch an investigation into how a race in one of its premier world championships managed to consist of just two racing laps — something that sounds more and more absurd every time one reads about it.

[NaBUru38]

They don't extend the race because they would have to cut the television broadcasting. It's common sense actually.

[RMLCruzeing82]

In truth, the FIA ought to launch an investigation into how a race in one of its premier world championships managed to consist of just two racing laps — something that sounds more and more absurd every time one reads about it.

2laps? was that it? i dont watch wtcc as its C**P!!! but 2laps is a joke

[AndySpeed]

They don't extend the race because they would have to cut the television broadcasting. It's common sense actually.

That's no excuse. If we were watching F1 and there was a major startline crash which meant a red flag, and the mess was cleared up after an hour or so, you would still run the race in full not just two laps that you had time for. That would mess up the TV schedules of more than one or two TV stations.

[Allyc85]

They don't extend the race because they would have to cut the television broadcasting. It's common sense actually.

Common sense, are you serious? If I was in the crowd id have been bloody furious that the main event was 2 laps!

They should have red flagged it and if TV couldnt cover the whole race then tough they can show a full re-run later, in my eyes the WTCC is just a minor international racing series anyway.

[BDunnell]

That's no excuse. If we were watching F1 and there was a major startline crash which meant a red flag, and the mess was cleared up after an hour or so, you would still run the race in full not just two laps that you had time for. That would mess up the TV schedules of more than one or two TV stations.

Exactly. Any TV station worth its salt ought to be able to cope. I'm sure Eurosport's viewers wouldn't mind its coverage of the south Belgian table tennis championship being held up for a world championship motor race.

[Daniel]

I wouldn't be surprise if Todt kicks up a fuss about this. He was there iirc and it was a farce.....

[Chris2k6]

Get Priaulx out of WTCC and into BTCC i say!!! :p ;)

[tisme]

AND.. what was the farce about the two aborted starts in race one???

[inimitablestoo]

Perhaps now is the time to get the series back to its roots and make the races two-driver enduros. Especially since GT1 has gone to a "sprint" format; we need a proper endurance series (other than the Le Mans Series). Poach the Spa 24 Hours and the Tourist Trophy, get really cheeky and make a bid for the Bathurst 1000, and I'm sure Macau and one of the new Middle Eastern venues would be up for it.

Of course, it won't happen. Not while Eurosport actually invests in the series, rather than just broadcasts it. It'll be 10-lap sprints where one or two laps are actually racing laps. At least it means they can show full green-flag lap highlights on the ITV4 show. In the meantime, I'm in no hurry to rush out and buy a satellite dish...

[NaBUru38]

Perhaps now is the time to get the series back to its roots and make the races two-driver enduros. [...] Poach the Spa 24 Hours and the Tourist Trophy, get really cheeky and make a bid for the Bathurst 1000, and I'm sure Macau and one of the new Middle Eastern venues would be up for it.

I agree that there should be professional, endurance touring car races. But not as part of the WTCC or any championship, I'd prefer stand-alone races like the Nürburgring and Spa 24-hour races.

[racer69]

I agree that there should be professional, endurance touring car races. But not as part of the WTCC or any championship, I'd prefer stand-alone races like the Nürburgring and Spa 24-hour races.

Considering the WTCC was originally a two-driver endurance series, i agree with inimitablestoo, would be great to see that kind of stuff return.

[thetrooper_uk]

Why they didn't just stop the race and once the mess was cleared restart it as 2 laps is a complete joke. The worst part was the driver interviews after the race. Asking how the race went and how it feels to get the win.

The series needs an overhaul and someone else to run it and boot the FIA out as they are totally useless as they're more about the politics and less about the racing.