WTCC opening round preview

CIRCUIT MOULAY EL HASSAN

Lap distance: 4.545 km Race distance: 2 x 14 laps / 63.630 km

Location: Southern outskirts of Marrakech, in the Agdal hotel district, along the route Ourika-Oukaïmden

Press officer: Hafsa Benmchich tel: 524 499900; fax: 524 341048; mail: h.benmchich@groupe-menara.com

Airports: Marrakech-Menara (5 km), Casablanca “Mohammed V” (220 km), Agadir-Al Massira (240 km), Rabat-Sale (330 km)

Lap records: Qualifying - 1:43.753/157.70 kph, Alain Menu (Chevrolet Cruze), 14 April 2012

Race - 1:44.617/156.39 kph, Pepe Oriola (SEAT León), 15 April 2012

Roll of Honour WTCC Race of Morocco

2009 - R1, Rob Huff (Chevrolet Cruze) / R2, Nicola Larini (Chevrolet Cruze)

2010 - R1, Gabriele Tarquini (SEAT León TDi) / R2, Andy Priaulx (BMW 320si)

2012 - R1, Alain Menu (Chevrolet Cruze) / R2, Yvan Muller (Chevrolet Cruze)

2013 - R1, Michel Nykjær (Chevrolet Cruze) / R2, Pepe Oriola (SEAT León)

DID YOU KNOW IT?

Yvan Muller, Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T, Chevrolet

Photo by: XPB Images

2 March 2010 – Two pile-ups caused safety car interventions, from lap 2 to 7 and from lap 8 to 12 of the second race; this left only one lap of actual racing. Andy Priaulx won the shortest WTCC race ever.

7 April 2013 – Pepe Oriola started Race 2 from pole position on the reverse grid and led the whole distance, resisting pressure from Yvan Muller and Tom Chilton. At the age of 18 years and 9 months he became the youngest ever winner of an FIA World Championship race.

13 April 2014 – Race 1 will mark Gabriele Tarquini’s 200th WTCC start, but also the maiden appearance in the championship for Sébastien Loeb, Dušan Borković, John Filippi and Petr Fulín.

WTCC TIMETABLE

Friday, 11 April

12.30 – 13.00 : Testing

17.00 : Drivers’ briefing

Saturday, 12 April

09.00 – 09.30 : Free Practice 1

11.15 – 11.45 : Free Practice 2

14.00 – 14.20 : Qualifying Q1

14.25 – 14.35 : Qualifying Q2

14.40 – 15.00 : Qualifying Q3

15.10 (est) : Qualifying press conference

Sunday, 13 April

16.15 : Race 1

16.50 (est) : Race 1 podium ceremony

17.15 : Race 2

17.50 (est) : Race 2 podium ceremony

18.00 (est) : Race press conference

FIA OFFICIALS

Chairman of the Stewards : Silvia Bellot (ESP)

2nd International Steward : Daniel Fausel (CHE)

Race Director : Miroslav Bartos (CZE)

Assistant to the Race Director / FIA Coordinator : Rui Marques (PRT)

Medical Delegate : Jacques Tropenat (FRA)

Technical Delegate : Manuel Leal (ESP)

Press Delegate : Fabio Ravaioli (ITA)

Chief Timekeeper : Mike Salmon (GBR)

Incident Camera Delegate : Lionel Bérard (FRA)

Safety Car Driver : Bruno Correia (PRT)

FIA WTCC