The 2008 World Touring Car Championship season was the fifth World Touring Car Championship season, the fourth since its 2005 return. It began on 2 March, and ended on 16 November, after twenty-four races. The championship, which was open to Super 2000 Cars and Diesel 2000 Cars, was composed of the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Drivers and the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Manufacturers.[1]
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.
The full season entry list.[2]
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]
Changed Teams
Entering WTCC including those who entered one-off rounds in 2007
Leaving WTCC
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 |
Points system | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | |||||||||||
10 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
The final standings in the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship for Drivers were :
|
Bold – Pole |
† — 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.
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.
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 uses a similar system to the Drivers’ Championship, however double points are awarded at Macau.
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. Points were awarded to the two best classified cars of each team, providing they were driven by Independent drivers. All other cars of that same team were considered invisible as far as scoring points was concerned.