FIA ETCC Race of Nürburgring Nordschleife, rounds 5/6 of 12, 26-28 May 2016

*Rikli heads Fulín by one point in thrilling chase for FIA WTCC prize drive

*German promise Mackschin leads female Krafft in Super 1600 division
*Sébastien Loeb’s team to give factory-supported Peugeot 308 its FIA ETCC debut

A double treat is in store for touring car fans at the Nürburgring Nordschleife (26-28 May). In addition to the FIA World Touring Car Championship, the FIA European Touring Car Cup will also provide plenty of bumper-to-bumper action, albeit with a twist.

Rather than having their own races, the ETCC drivers will follow their WTCC counterparts over the 25.378-kilometre layout during two three-lap contests. It’s the first time the championships, promoted by Eurosport Events, have joined forces and the spectacle will be eagerly anticipated as the ETCC drivers aim to learn from some of the world’s best touring car racers.

And with Switzerland’s Peter Rikli topping the title table by a single point ahead of Czech Petr Fulín, the spectacle is heightened. However, it’s Rikli’s Honda Civic-mounted team-mate and fellow Swiss Kris Richard on a high following his win double last time out in Slovakia. “We will give all we have,” said the 21-year-old Richard in preparation for his trip to Germany. “I have done many hours on the simulator to try to learn the Nürburgring Nordschleife and I have big support from my team and from JAS Motorsport, so I will have a big push for these races.”

YOUNG GUNS CHALLENGE EXPERIENCED ETCC RACERS
This year’s ETCC driver line-up blends youth and experience. German promise Niklas Mackschin (21) will defend his ETCC S1600 title in a Fiesta, which is also the car of choice for his compatriot Daniel Niermann (25). Mackschin, who tops the S1600 division by 10 points after four races, is a big fan of the Nordschleife. “It’s the absolutely perfect circuit, so exciting and so tricky,” he said. “It’s going to be a hard weekend because it’s a difficult track and we’ll also have the WTCC cars in the same races. But I am really excited to be racing there in the ETCC.” Hungary’s Norbert Nagy (21) is a contender for Super 2000 honours driving a Zengő Motorsport SEAT, while Mladen Lalušić, 20 from Serbia, has signed up for a full-season with Lein Racing after making selected ETCC appearances for the team in 2015. SwissChristjohannes Schreiber, 27, and Portugal’s Fábio Mota (28) are ETCC rookies for 2016. Germans Andreas Rinke (30) and Ulrike Krafft (31) will also be in action along with Czech Petr Fulín, a favourite for the S2000 crown in a Křenek Motorsport SEAT. Lema Racing’s FIA Hill Climb champion Igor Stefanovski, from Macedonia, and swift Swiss Peter Rikli complete the full-season entry, which will be bolstered by several wildcards for the Nürburgring Nordschleife, including Ukrainians Sergii Kravets andPavlo Kopylets, who will pilot a brace of Fiestas for Master KR Racing, and 21-year-old Austrian David Greissner (ETH Tuning Peugeot 207 Sport).

SÉBASTIEN LOEB RACING ETCC CHANCE FOR PEUGEOT PAIR
French racers Teddy Clairet and David Pouget will give the Peugeot 308 Racing Cup its FIA ETCC debut at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Sébastien Loeb Racing, the team co-founded by the multiple WRC champion and WTCC race winner, has been entrusted by Peugeot Sport to run the all-new car in selected international races, including Germany’s ETCC double-header. Clairet, 22, is a graduate of the French Renault Clio Cup, while Pouget, who turns 38 on 26 May, has raced in one-make Peugeot categories for several seasons.

BIG YEAR FOR ETCC
It’s a big year for the ETCC with a new two-tiered structure in place to streamline the competition. The headlining Super 2000 Cup is for the FIA’s new TCN2 category, plus the TC2T, TC2 and Single Make Trophy class, while the Super 1600 Cup caters for cars such as Ford’s Fiesta and Peugeot’s 207. And there are two big prizes at stake with the S2000 champion winning a WTCC race weekend in 2017, while the S1600 champion gets a test in a new-generation TCN2 car.

ETCC RULES REFRESHER: While the results of Qualifying will determine the grid order for Race 1, the results of the first race will decide the starting grid for Race 2, albeit with the top eight finishers lining up in reverse order. For both the Super 2000 Cup and the Super 1600 Cup, the fastest three drivers in qualifying will score: 3-2-1. The top eight finishers in each class in each race will score: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1. To avoid confusion, all ETCC cars will be numbered 100 upwards for the Nürburgring Nordschleife. A race-by-race prize fund of €25,000, jointly awarded by tyre partner Yokohama, will be split between the Super 2000 and Super 1600 competitors.

WEEKEND OVERVIEW: Eighteen drivers will contest the two ETCC races at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Thursday’s itinerary includes a 60-minute test and Free Practice 1. Friday’s track activity is made up of Free Practice 2 and Qualifying with the two three-lap races held on Saturday (at 11h20 and 12h45) prior to the ADAC 24h-Rennen.

PROVISIONAL KEY TIMINGS:  Wednesday 25 May: 16h00-17h00: Autograph session (Adenauer Racing Day, Adenauer Village); 17h00-18h30: Track painting event (Döttinger Höhe straight) Thursday 26 May: 11h30-12h30: Testing; 18h45-19h45: Free Practice 1 Friday 27 May: 08h15-09h15: Free Practice 2; 12h45-13h45: Qualifying; 14h00: ETCC Qualifying press conference (Media Centre) Saturday 28 May: 11h20: ETCC Race of Nürburgring Nordschleife Race 1 (3 laps); 12h45: ETCC Race ofNürburgring Nordschleife  Race 2 (3 laps); 13h30 (approx.): ETCC Race 1 and Race 2 podiums; 13h45 (approx.): Post-Race 1 and Race 2 press conference (Media Centre) Timings provisional and subject to change

ETCC STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 4/12: Super 2000: 1 Rikli 30; 2 Fulín 29; 3 Richard 24; 4 Nagy 19; 5 Lalušić 17; 6 Münnich 11; etc. Super 1600: 1 Mackschin 42; 2 Krafft 32; 3 Korený 23; 4 Rinke 21; 5 Ievtushenko 15; 6 Hilgenhövel 13; etc. (Full standings: https://www.fiaetcc.com/event/slovakiaring/)

ETCC CALENDAR 2016: 1-3 April 2016: Circuit Paul Ricard (France); 15-17 April 2016: Slovakia Ring (Slovakia); 26-28 May 2016: Nürburgring Nordschleife (Germany); 24-26 June 2016: Circuito Internacional de Vila Real (Portugal) S; 8-10 July 2016: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours (France)*; 30 September-2 October 2016: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola (Italy)** S = street race; * = GT Tour support race; ** = FIA European Formula 3, GT Tour support race