Engstler Motorsport to participate in the World Touring Car Championship series (WTCC) in the coming season with new main sponsor
Wiggensbach, 12. November 2007 – The big showdown in the touring car championships takes place this weekend in the far eastern gambler’s paradise of Macao. Here, six drivers and four brands are still competing for the title. The Engstler Motorsport team is taking part for the first time in the last race of the season 2007. This is a test for the team from the Allgäu as they have a great deal planned for the coming season.
“To pastures new” is the motto of the Engstler Motorsport racing team from Wiggensbach. After a new win in the driver and team valuations in the German ADAC PROCAR series and the Asian Touring Car Championships (ATCS), Engstler is looking for a new challenge – the FIA World Touring Car Championship. “We have established ourselves in both other series and reached all the goals. In that respect, taking part in the WTCC is really the next logical step for us,” says team manager, Kurt Treml, explaining the decision. Against this background, Engstler Motorsport has intensified its co-operation with lubricant specialists LIQUI MOLY who will be the main sponsor in the future. “Both previous racing series were very interesting for us from a brand image point of view. The WTCC strengthens the advertising effect further as it will be broadcast in all the world’s five continents,” says Peter Baumann, head of marketing at LIQUI MOLY who is developing the growing partnership with the Engstler team.
Three teams in three series
In addition to the WTCC, the LIQUI MOLY-Engstler team will continue to participate in the ADAC PROCAR series and in the Asian championships where they must, after all, defend the title.
The team is at the start with two BMW touring cars each. Franz Engstler and his Russian colleague Andrej Romanov will compete for world championship points. In the PROCAR series, Rustem Teregulov from Russia will be in the driver’s seat, it is not yet sure who the second driver will be. In the Asian ATCS, the Japanese Masaki Kano and Seiji Shiobuchi will be behind the wheel of the BMWs.
“We want to defend our title but the biggest challenge in the coming season will be the world championship,” says Engstler. The team may have to pay dearly for its first season. “We want to keep this to a minimum, though, with conscientious preparation,” adds Treml. The team, therefore, also chose to do the test in Macao in conditions which are as realistic as possible. Franz Engstler did, after all, score a win here already four years ago.
Sights set on Independence Trophy
The WTCC is extremely interesting from a sporting viewpoint. With Alfa Romeo, BMW, Chevrolet and Seat, there are four brands competing for the title. “Of course we can’t compare ourselves with the works teams,” says Treml, realistically, “but we do want to play a role in the Independence Trophy.” Although, first, all concentration will be focussed on Macao where all brands and six drivers still have a chance of winning the title. For Engstler Motorsport, the test run is about getting experience and practice which could help in their further development, says the team manager of the racing camp in the Allgäu.
The Engstler drivers will certainly face a challenge as the city racetrack in the Chinese gambler’s paradise is often likened to a lottery. Only one free circuit on the Guia circuit is seen as a main win. The riskiest point for crashes in the race is the Lisboa bend which is at the end of the long start course. “It’s a very challenging programme, precisely what we need to get us ready for the world championship,” says Engstler speaking on behalf of himself and the other drivers.
The new partner
The coming season also sees an “old” partner, LIQUI MOLY, entering a new co-operation. The lubricant specialists will be the main sponsor in the future. LIQUI MOLY offers a high quality range of 4,000 products including engine oils, additives, care products and chemical and technical solutions for automobiles. The company develops products in its own laboratories, manufactures in Germany and markets all the products itself. The owner-managed business is one of the most important in the industry with products being distributed in more than 90 countries throughout the world, besides the German market. The mid-sized firm also catches people’s attention with its advertising. Best examples of this were co-operations during this year’s handball world championships in Germany, several appearances in the Formula 1, at the ski flight world championships and the four jump tournament as well as being the main sponsor of football federal league players TSV 1860 Munich. “With co-operations like this we are permanently increasing the popularity of our brand. The affinity of our product range to motorsport is very big so a sponsoring which corresponds to this is only logical and makes sense,” says Baumann.
The international effect of all this is extremely important for the globally active business. “That is one of the main reasons which led to the partnership with Engstler Motorsport,” continues the head of marketing.
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The FIA WTCC calendar 2008
2. March – Brazil, Curitiba
18. May – Spain, Valencia
1. June – France, Pau
15. June – Czech Republic, Brno
6. July – Portugal, Estoril
27. July – Great Britain, Brands Hatch
31. August – Germany, Oschersleben
21. September – Sweden, Anderstorp (final inspection still to take place)
5. October – Italy, Monza
26. October – Japan, Okayama
16. November – China, Macao