RACE PREVIEW: FIA WTCC JVCKENWOOD Race of Japan, 27-29 October 2017
FIA World Touring Car Championship 2017: Rounds 15 and 16 of 20

*Tenth visit to Japan for FIA World Touring Car Championship entourage
*Honda on top in makes’ title tussle by five points, Björk holds half-point driver lead
*J SPORTS expands live TV commitment for home event

Nine years since the FIA World Touring Car Championship made its first visit to Japan, the thrilling wide-open race for the 2017 title continues on Japanese asphalt next week (27-29 October) when Twin Ring Motegi north of Tokyo hosts the action.

With 14 races run, Volvo Polestar’s Thed Björk heads to enemy territory in front of factory Honda drivers Tiago Monteiroand Norbert Michelisz. But with a slender half-point advantage over Monteiro and a two-point gap on Michelisz, the Swede won’t be taking his foot off the throttle at the Japanese firm’s home track, where Michelisz and Monteiro won in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

After missing out in China on the advice of doctors following a testing accident in Spain last month, Monteiro’s participation at WTCC JVCKENWOOD Race of Japan remains subject to medical clearance with an update from the Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team expected next week.

It’s not just the Drivers’ title battle that remains finely balanced with three race weekends of the season remaining. There’s five points between leader Honda and Volvo Polestar in the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Manufacturers, while seven points blanket the top four in the WTCC Trophy for independent racers with Tom Chilton leading Rob Huff, Mehdi Bennani and Esteban Guerrieri, who claimed his second outright victory last time out in China.

New to the WTCC schedule for 2015, Twin Ring Motegi’s long straights and lengthy braking zones promote passing in abundance, as 2012 world champion Huff can testify. After making up three positions in the first race two years ago, Huff gained 10 places in the second counter to climb from P13 to the final step of the podium.

And Huff isn’t alone in pulling off multiple overtakes on the 4.801-kilometre layout. Monteiro made up eight places in race one in 2015 with Tom Coronel and Stefano D’Aste also moving up the same number of positions in the second race. Coronel climbed five places in the Main Race in 2016, while José María López charged through from P10 to fourth in the Opening Race in his efforts to put his third world title beyond doubt.

JVCKENWOOD, a long-term Official Series Partner of the WTCC, has been named as the Event Presenting Partner of WTCC Race of Japan, which also serves as the home event for Yokohama, the WTCC’s official tyre supplier. Meanwhile, DHL, the WTCC’s Official Logistics Partner, is overseeing movement of cars and equipment from China to Japan.

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
*Néstor Girolami returns to the scene of his debut for Volvo Polestar fired up by his maiden WTCC victory in China recently. However, with his success achieved behind the safety car, the Argentine will be gunning to win for real at Twin Ring Motegi.
*J SPORTS, the channel for motorsport in Japan, will increase its season commitment to the WTCC by broadcasting qualifying and WTCC MAC3 live as well as the Opening Race and Main Race.
*Event Presenting Partner JVCKENWOOD has two significant milestones to celebrate. JVC turns 90 in 2017, while KENWOOD marked 70 years of operation last December. Meanwhile, Twin Ring Motegi opened for business in 1997, 20 years ago.
*WTCC Race of Japan marks the completion of a busy period of FIA events in the country. Starting with Rally Hokkaido, a round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship in mid-September, the FIA Mobility Conference took place in Tokyo from 25-29 September. Suzuka hosted the Japanese Formula One Grand Prix from 6-8 October, which was followed one week later by the FIA World Endurance Championship-counting Fuji 6 Hours.

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2017
*Revamped and compact calendar (10 events only to reduce costs) features return to iconic venues Monza and Macau, a new track in China, plus a mid-July date for WTCC Race of Argentina.
*More points are on offer to the top 10 in the Main Race as follows: 1=30 points; 2=23; 3=19; 4=16; 5=13; 6=10; 7=7; 8=4; 9=2; 10=1).
*WTCC MAC3, the Tour de France-inspired time trial, continues with two more points for winning.
*FIA World Rallycross-style ‘joker’ lap got its world premiere at WTCC Race of Portugal in late June.
*Use of 360-degree camera to give viewer the impression they are in-car with the driver.

LATEST DRIVER NEWS
*Japan’s only full-time WTCC driver, Ryo Michigami, scored a career-best ninth in the Opening Race in China and then repeated the feat in the Main Race.
*John Filippi (sixth), Kevin Gleason (seventh), Dániel Nagy (eighth) and Main Race winner Néstor Girolami all celebrated personal-best finishes at the all-new Ningbo International Speedpark.
*Sweden’s Thed Björk leads the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Drivers for the first time, while Briton Tom Chilton moves from joint leader to outright pacesetter in the WTCC Trophy following the visit to China.
*Filipe De Souza completes his two-event WTCC bid in a third RC Motorsport entry and arrives in Japan on the back of scoring his first world championship point after 21 attempts.
*WTCC Race of Japan is something of a home event for Tom Coronel. The Dutchman lived in Japan for five years, winning the county’s Formula 3 and Formula Nippon titles. Indeed, he wrapped up the former at Twin Ring Motegi 20 years ago.
*Zsolt Dávid Szabó continued his WTCC transition in China following his category debut at the previous event in Argentina. He partners Dániel Nagy at leading privateer outfit Zengő Motorsport.
*Yann Ehrlacher was a WTCC podium visitor for the second time in China, the 21-year-old Frenchman trailing winner Esteban Guerrieri in the Opening Race, having led initially.
*Ehrlacher is the nephew of four-time WTCC champion Yvan Muller, who claimed a record-extending and final career win number 48 at Twin Ring Motegi last season.
*While an Opening Race podium in China put Nicky Catsburg back into title contention, two non-scores hit Mehdi Bennani’s hopes. The Sébastien Loeb Racing driver will look to hit back in Japan.

WTCC HONDAS WILL BE HEAVY AT HOME
Honda’s Civic WTCC will continue to carry the maximum 80 kilograms of compensation weight at WTCC JVCKENWOOD Race of Japan. Designed to equalise car performance in the WTCC, the FIA’s weight ruling uses a lap time-based calculation made following the last two events in Argentina and China. As in China, Honda’s rival for the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Manufacturers, Polestar Cyan Racing, will benefit from its fleet of Volvo S60s running 10 kilograms lighter than the Civics. The four Citroën C-Elysée WTCCs racing in Japan will carry 40 kilograms, 10 less than in China, while the Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1s are 10 kilograms heavier. The LADA Vesta WTCCs will carry zero compensation weight. The full compensation weight listing follows:

Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1: 10kg (+10kg from previous race)
Citroën C-Elysée WTCC: 40kg (-10kg)
Honda Civic WTCC: 80kg (no change)
LADA Vesta WTCC: 0kg (no change)
Volvo S60 Polestar: 70kg (no change)

SUZUKA SHOOTOUT UP NEXT FOR ESPORTS WTCC
Just like the FIA World Touring Car Championship, eSports WTCC – its online equivalent – is heading to Japan with the title finely balanced. While the real WTCC is Twin Ring Motegi-bound from 27-29 October, its virtual equivalent is at Suzuka this Sunday evening (22 October). Kévin Leaune was on top in pre-qualifying with an impressive margin of almost two tenths of a second. However, having collected too many penalty points in the previous events, the Frenchman will be forced to sit out the Suzuka race. Leaune’s absence will leave Bencé Banki (Citroën), Gergo Baldi (Volvo), Nikodem Wisniewski (Honda) and the impressive newcomer Jaroslav Honzik making it four manufacturers in the top four in his Chevrolet. Of the title contenders, Jan Stange performed best in sixth with championship leader Márk Nándori P12. Erstwhile pacesetter Alexander Dornieden was down in P20. But with Nándori picking up a five-point-penalty in Shanghai, his advantage over Dornieden has been trimmed to eighth points and 13 ahead of Stange. Belgian Jonathan Schelstraete headed Division 2. The event will be streamed live from 19h00 CET on Sunday 22 October via the WTCC’s official YouTube and Facebook channels. James Kirk and Robert Wiesenmüller will provide their usual expert commentary.

THEY SAID WHAT?
Thed Björk (Polestar Cyan Racing): “It feels good to be coming back to Japan. It’s a really nice atmosphere and I am happy to race here because it’s a good place to have a race. I’m thinking about the points all the time but I’m not throwing everything in for a race win because I have to think about the complete package and that means getting as many points for the championship as possible. I’m just really happy to be involved in a title fight and I hope it will be like this for the rest of the year. We’ve seen it’s not easy to win this year like it was for José María López before. It’s much closer now and that makes it interesting. I feel like we are closer in the battle and that will continue to the rest of the season. I am just a little ahead but it doesn’t matter.”

Ryo Michigami (Honda Racing Team JAS): “I’ve been racing at Twin Ring Motegi for more than 15 years – and, of course, it’s very special for Honda because they own the circuit. I like the place too; it’s not too far from Tokyo and the facilities here are very good for fans and for whenever I’ve been here testing or racing. The key factor with the road course at Motegi is braking. There are lots of long straights with slow corners, so you have to be very careful with managing your brakes and making sure they can last a full race distance. If we have a hot race day like last year, this could be a very important factor in deciding who wins.”

Tom Coronel (ROAL Motorsport): “I lived in Japan for five years so it’s a kind of coming back home for me. I was the Formula 3 champion, winning my title at Twin Ring Motegi, the Formula Nippon champion and in GT I won two times the All-Star race and was the only Honda driver who won in 2003 at Motegi. It’s the best circuit we have for overtaking and I know we will put on a good show. I always feel power from coming to Japan and it’s easy when you have the same passion from the fans. It’s always nice to come back here, there’s a good atmosphere and the racing world is quite big. Also it’s really where I started my international career as a professional driver so I’m happy to be back always. I’m not expecting to win, I see myself as making other drivers and I pick up the scraps. Of course I will do everything I can for a good result.”

WHAT HAPPENED IN 2016?
Norbert Michelisz headed a Honda 1-2-3 on home soil as José María López became provisional FIA World Touring Car champion for 2016 following two action-packed races. After finishing a battling fourth in the Opening Race, the Argentine was leading the Main Race comfortably from the DHL pole position when he slowed to let Citroën team-mate Yvan Muller take what was the four-time world champion’s first victory of 2016. However, second place was enough to put López’s third WTCC title beyond doubt. Elsewhere, Sébastien Loeb Racing drivers Tom Chilton and Mehdi Bennani shared the WTCC Trophy honours, while Citroën closed in on a third makes’ crown. Rob Huff and Tiago Monteiro completed the Opening Race podium for Honda, with Monteiro third behind Muller and López in the Main Race. Néstor Girolami marked his return to WTCC action with fifth for Polestar Cyan Racing in the Main Race, as Nicky Catsburg and Gabriele Tarquini scored for LADA. López claimed the TAG Heuer Best Lap Trophy.

TRACK GUIDE IN 100 WORDS
Twin Ring Motegi, in the Tochigi Prefecture 145 kilometres north of the capital Tokyo, is home of WTCC Race of Japan for the third year running following four successful seasons at Suzuka and three at Okayama. Motegi also hosts the country’s MotoGP round in October and the track layout, with its long straights and braking zones, always delivers great WTCC action, while two crossover points produce spectacular photography. Oval and traditional road course aside, Twin Ring Motegi houses a hotel, kart track, safer driving centre plus the impressive Honda Collection Hall with its vast displays of two- and four-wheel machinery.

TRACK ESSENTIALS
Name: Twin Ring Motegi
Location: 120-1 Hiyama, Motegi-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi Pref. 321-3597, Japan
Website: www.twinring.jp
Length: 4.801 kilometres
Opening Race distance: 11 laps (52.811km)
Main Race distance: 13 laps (62.413km)
Lap record (qualifying): Norbert Michelisz (Honda Civic) 1m55.596s (149.5kph), 12/09/15
Lap record (race): Gabriele Tarquini (Honda Civic WTCC) 1m57.136s (147.6kph), 13/09/15
WTCC appearances: 2 (WTCC Race of Japan also took place at Suzuka and Okayama)
Time zone: GMT +9 hours
Nearest airport: Narita International Airport (130 kilometres)

PREVIOUS WINNERS
2016: Opening Race: Norbert Michelisz (Honda Civic); Main Race: Yvan Muller (Citroën)
2015: Race 1: José María López (Citroën C-Elysée); Race 2: Tiago Monteiro (Honda Civic)
2014: R1: José María López (Citroën C-Elysée); R2: Gabriele Tarquini (Honda Civic)
2013: R1: Norbert Michelisz (Honda Civic); R2: Tom Coronel (BMW 320)
2012: R1: Alain Menu (Chevrolet Cruze); R2: Stefano D’Aste (BMW 320)
2011: R1: Alain Menu (Chevrolet Cruze); R2: Tom Coronel (BMW 320)
2010: R1: Rob Huff (Chevrolet Cruze); R2: Colin Turkington (BMW 320)
2009: R1: Andy Priaulx (BMW 320); R2: Augusto Farfus (BMW 320)
2008: R1: Rickard Rydell (SEAT León); R2: Tom Coronel (SEAT León)

FIVE FACTS
1: Honda commissioned the build of Twin Ring Motegi in 1997 to bring IndyCar racing to Japan. America’s CART series raced at the circuit from 1998-2002, before Honda entered the Indy Racing League in 2003 when Motegi gained a place on that calendar.
2: Its name comes from it having two racetracks – a 2.49-kilometre oval and the 4.8-kilometre road course that the WTCC aces will race on.
3: The late IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon won for Honda at Motegi in 2004, and in 2008 Danica Patrick became the first woman to win an IndyCar race at the track. The series made its final visit to Motegi in 2011.
4: Tiago Monteiro was a popular winner for Honda when the Twin Ring Motegi hosted the WTCC for the first time in 2015, a feat repeated by fellow factory Honda driver Norbert Michelisz in 2016.
5: Japan hosted the 1964 Summer Olympic games in Tokyo and will do so again in 2020. The country also hosted the 1972 and ’98 Winter Olympics in Sapporo and Nagano respectively.

MEDIA INFORMATION
Assistant national press officer: Norifumi Haraguchi, media@mobilityland.co.jp, +81 332780731
Media Accreditation Centre location: The Media Accreditation Centre is located on the second floor (2F) of the pit building. Accredited media will be issued with a letter of authorisation to access this location. The Media Accreditation Centre will be open as follows: Friday 27 October: 08h30-18h00; Saturday 28 October: 07h00-18h30; Sunday 29 October: 08h00-12h00 Media Centre location/opening times: The Media Centre is located on the second floor (2F) of the pit building and open as follows: Friday 27 October, 08h30-18h00; Saturday 28 October, 07h00-18h30; Sunday 29 October, 08h00-until the last journalist leaves.

MEDIA DIARY
Friday 27 October: From 14h30: Time attack karting event (Kart Land, Twin Ring Motegi), all WTCC drivers in attendance Saturday 28 October: 11h10-11h40: Autograph session (pit lane); 15h45 (approx.): Post-Qualifying/WTCC MAC3 press conference (Briefing Room); 19h00-20h00: WTCC Happy Hour. By invitation only. Please email media@fiawtcc.com to register your interest in attending. Sunday 29 October: 11h40-12h10: Autograph session (pit lane); 14h15 (approx.): Opening Race podium; 15h40 (approx.): Main Race podium; 15h55 (approx.) Post-race press conference (Media Centre). Timings/activities above provisional and subject to change. Additional activities may be arranged

TRACK DIARY
Saturday 28 October: 08h00-08h45: Free Practice 1; 10h15-11h00: Free Practice 2; 14h20-14h40: Qualifying Q1; 14h45-14h55: Qualifying Q2; 15h00 (pit lane opens for first car): Qualifying Q3; 15h20-15h40: WTCC MAC3 Sunday 29 October: 13h45-14h10: Opening Race (11 laps); 15h00-15h30: Main Race (13 laps).

PROVISIONAL ENTRY LIST

(T = Indicates WTCC Trophy contender)

ONLINE MEDIA CENTRE
The new online Media Centre is a one-stop-shop for media professionals covering the WTCC. The site contains a press release archive, downloadable press kit, event guides, Q&As, high-resolution rights-free images, driver profiles, statistics, results, track maps, logos, accreditation details and much more. Visit http://media.fiawtcc.com for details.

PROVISIONAL STANDINGS AND STATISTICS
Drivers (after round 14 of 20): 1 Björk 200.5; 2 Monteiro 200; 3 Michelisz 198.5; 4 Catsburg 177.5; 5 Bennani 164; 6 Chilton 153.5; 7 Guerrieri 143; 8 Huff 137; 9 Girolami 88; 10 Ehrlacher 63; etc.
Manufacturers (14/20): 1 Honda 640.5; 2 Volvo Polestar 635.5
WTCC Trophy (14/20): 1 Chilton 92; 2 Huff 88; 3 Bennani 87; 4 Guerrieri 85; 5 Ehrlacher 57; 6 Coronel 42.5; 7 Filippi 40; 8 Gleason 19.5; 9 Nagy 14; 10 Panis 11; etc.
WTCC Teams (14/20): 1 Sébastien Loeb Racing 119; 2 Campos Racing 87; 3 Münnich Motorsport 83.5; 4 RC Motorsport 71; 5 ROAL Motorsport 57.5; 6 Zengő Motorsport 48
All-time race wins (top 5): Y Muller 48; López 29; Huff 28; Menu 23; Tarquini 22
All-time pole positions (top 5): Y Muller 29; López 21; Tarquini 17; Menu 15; Huff 12
All-time fastest laps (top 5): Y Muller 38; Huff and López 29; Tarquini 24; Menu 20
All-time laps led (top 5): Y Muller 571; Huff 345; López 301; Menu 297; Tarquini 295
Season wins: Bennani, Björk, Guerrieri, Michelisz, Monteiro 2; Catsburg, Chilton, Ehrlacher, Girolami 1
Season pole positions: Michelisz 2; Björk, Huff, Catsburg, Girolami, Monteiro 1
Season fastest laps: Björk, Guerrieri 3; Catsburg, Huff 2; Chilton, Michelisz, Nagy 1
Season laps led: Monteiro 36; Bennani 29; Chilton, Michelisz 18; Guerrieri 15; Björk 13; Coronel 11; Catsburg, Ehrlacher 9; Girolami 3; Huff 1