
The2010 World Touring Car Championship season was the seventh season of theFIAWorld Touring Car Championship, and the sixth since its 2005 return. It began with theRace of Brazil atCuritiba on 7 March and ended with theGuia Race of Macau at theGuia Circuit on 21 November, after twenty-two races at eleven events. The championship was open to bothSuper 2000 andDiesel 2000 cars.[1]
A new points system was introduced for the championship in 2010, in alignment with that used for both theFormula One World Championship and theWorld Rally Championship. The winner of each race received 25 points, continuing with 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 point for 10th place.[2]
In the week leading up to the final event inMacau, 2008 championYvan Muller was confirmed as Drivers' Champion after theBMWs ofAugusto Farfus and title rivalAndy Priaulx were excluded from the results of the event inJapan, after theFIA overturned a stewards' decision allowing the BMWs to run sequential gearboxes.[3] Chevrolet was awarded the Manufacturers' Championship title.



The full season entry list was released on 19 February 2010.[4]
Chevrolet replaced the retiringNicola Larini in their three-car line-up with ex-SEAT Sport driverYvan Muller. A fourth Chevrolet Cruze was entered in Italy forLeonel Pernía, with Nika Racing running the car under the Chevrolet Motorsport Sweden banner.Vincent Radermecker drove the car for the RML-run squad at the next race in Belgium, withCacá Bueno driving it in the UK.
BMW Motorsport announced they were reducing their participation from a five-car team to a two-car team, withAugusto Farfus moving fromBMW Team Germany toTeam RBM to joinAndy Priaulx. FormerBMW Team Italy-Spain driverAlex Zanardi retired from the series, while former BMW Team Germany driverJörg Müller raced in theLe Mans Series with Schnitzer.
SEAT Sport withdrew from the series for 2010, but helped Sunred to form a new teamSR-Sport, for whom Independents championTom Coronel and ex-SEAT Sport driversJordi Gené,Tiago Monteiro andGabriele Tarquini drove for.
Stefano D'Aste returned toScuderia Proteam Motorsport, for whom he raced in 2005, 2006 and 2008, moving fromWiechers-Sport. His seat was taken byMehdi Bennani, who moved fromExagon Engineering. D'Aste was joined at Proteam bySergio Hernández, who returned to Proteam from BMW Team Italy-Spain.Fabio Fabiani raced an additional car for the team at his home event in Italy, just as he did in 2009.
Andrey Romanov rejoined the series and theLiqui Moly Team Engstler setup. He replacedKristian Poulsen, who raced with his own Poulsen Motorsport team. Romanov could not drive at Brands Hatch for personal reasons, so was replaced byTim Coronel.
Michel Nykjær joinedSUNRED Engineering after racing in the WTCC forPerfection Racing at the2009 Race of Germany. He replacedTom Boardman, who returned to theBTCC, driving forSpecial Tuning (UK). Boardman returned to the WTCC with SUNRED for his home event.Fredy Barth joined the team from theSEAT León Eurocup, racing under the SEAT Swiss Team by SUNRED banner.Zengő Dension Motorsport joined the series, along with their driver, León Eurocup championNorbert Michelisz, who drove the SUNRED prize car on two occasions – in 2008 and 2009.
British Touring Car teamBamboo Engineering joined the WTCC, along with their driverHarry Vaulkhard.Darryl O'Young, who drove in theFIA GT Championship with Prospeed Competition in 2009, was his teammate for most of this season, before Vaulkhard was forced to withdraw owing to a lack of sponsorship, and was replaced byYukinori Taniguchi.
James Thompson, who drove forLada Sport in 2009, was set to race at certain European rounds forHartmann Racing, in addition to campaigns in theDanish Touring Car Championship andEuropean Touring Car Cup, but left the team, whilst Lada did not return for 2010.
SEAT'sRickard Rydell elected to take a sabbatical from racing for the 2010 season. Instead, he became a TV pundit forViasat Motor's coverage of theSwedish Touring Car Championship.
Jaap van Lagen returned to thePorsche Supercup, a series in which he finished seventh in 2008.
Without drives for 2010 were Lada'sKirill Ladygin, andFélix Porteiro, who drove for Proteam in 2009.
Maurer Motorsport were set to run three Chevrolet Lacettis at Marrakech for Moroccan racersIsmaïl Sbaï,Youssaf El Marnissi and Larbi Tadlaoui. Tadlaoui did not attend for personal reasons, while El Marnissi crashed in the Friday test session.
Pierre-Yves Corthals made a one-off return to the series with his old team,Exagon Engineering, for his home event in Belgium.
Having been without a drive in any series, 2009 British Touring Car ChampionColin Turkington rejoined the series in Portugal withWest Surrey Racing, with backing fromeBay Motors.
Swedish championship teamPolestar Racing and driverRobert Dahlgren raced once again at Brands Hatch, and also raced in Japan, in a nationally homologatedVolvo C30.
A provisional calendar for the 2010 season was approved by the FIA World Council on 24 June 2009.[5] The final calendar was published on 21 October 2009.[6] TheRace of Mexico atAutódromo Miguel E. Abed,Puebla, scheduled for 11 April, was cancelled in March due to security fears in the region.[7] Series organisers looked for a replacement, but negotiations with interested event promoters did not meet with the championship's logistic and promotional requirements, meaning the season was reduced to eleven events.[8]
| Event | Race Name | Track | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R1 | HSBC Race of Brazil | 7 March | |
| R2 | ||||
| 2 | R3 | Race of Morocco | 2 May | |
| R4 | ||||
| 3 | R5 | Yokohama Race of Italy | 23 May | |
| R6 | ||||
| 4 | R7 | Monroe Race of Belgium | 20 June | |
| R8 | ||||
| 5 | R9 | Race of Turismo de Portugal | 4 July | |
| R10 | ||||
| 6 | R11 | Mariott Race of UK | 18 July | |
| R12 | ||||
| 7 | R13 | Monroe Race of the Czech Republic | 1 August | |
| R14 | ||||
| 8 | R15 | Race of Germany | 5 September | |
| R16 | ||||
| 9 | R17 | DHL Race of Spain | 19 September | |
| R18 | ||||
| 10 | R19 | Kenwood Race of Japan | 31 October | |
| R20 | ||||
| 11 | R21 | Race of Macau | 21 November | |
| R22 | ||||
| Race | Race Name | Pole Position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Winning team | Winning independent | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Report | ||||||
| 2 | |||||||
| 3 | Report | ||||||
| 4 | |||||||
| 5 | Report | ||||||
| 6 | |||||||
| 7 | Report | ||||||
| 8 | |||||||
| 9 | Report | ||||||
| 10 | |||||||
| 11 | Report | ||||||
| 12 | |||||||
| 13 | Report | ||||||
| 14 | |||||||
| 15 | Report | ||||||
| 16 | |||||||
| 17 | Report | ||||||
| 18 | |||||||
| 19 | Report | ||||||
| 20 | |||||||
| 21 | Report | ||||||
| 22 |
| Points system | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | |||||||||
| 25 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||
|
Bold – Pole | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.
The Manufacturers’ title was awarded to the highest scoring manufacturer, taking into account the results obtained by the two best placed cars per manufacturer at each race. All other cars of that same manufacturer were considered invisible as far as scoring points was concerned.[1]
| Pos | Manufacturer | BRA | MAR | ITA | BEL | POR | UK | CZE | GER | ESP | JPN | MAC | Pts | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 715 | |
| 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | |||
| 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 641 | |
| 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 2 | |||
| 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 580 | |
| 6 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | |||
| Pos | Manufacturer | BRA | MAR | ITA | BEL | POR | UK | CZE | GER | ESP | JPN | MAC | Pts | |||||||||||
Eligibility for the award was determined by championship promoter KSO, taking into account the team's record, the driver's record and the car's technical characteristics.[9]
| Pos | Driver | BRA | MAR | ITA | BEL | POR | UK | CZE | GER | ESP | JPN | MAC | Pts | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | 10 | 14 | Ret | 12 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 19 | 15 | 11 | Ret | 11 | 9 | 156 | |
| 2 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 12 | Ret | DNS | Ret | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | Ret | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 127 | |
| 3 | Ret | 15 | 11 | 11 | 11 | Ret | 23 | Ret | 8 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 8 | Ret | 117 | |||||
| 4 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 13 | Ret | 12 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 21 | Ret | 17 | 7 | NC | 12 | 14 | 17 | 10 | 9 | Ret | Ret | 104 | |
| 5 | 18 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 19 | Ret | 12 | 19 | Ret | 14 | 16 | 14 | Ret | Ret | 16 | 16 | 19 | 10 | 12 | 91 | |
| 6 | 17 | 15 | Ret | 11 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 18 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 16 | Ret | DNS | Ret | 17 | 88 | |||
| 7 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 2 | P1 | 73 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 16 | 13 | 16 | Ret | 10 | 13 | 15 | Ret | 15 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 61 | |||||||||
| 9 | Ret | DNS | Ret | DNS | 13 | Ret | 19 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 19 | NC | 15 | 15 | Ret | 35 | |||
| 10 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 9 | 16 | 13 | Ret | 33 | |||||||||||||||
| 11 | 13 | 13 | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 12 | 15 | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | 14 | 16 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Ret | 20 | 17 | 14 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | 13 | Ret | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | 18 | 15 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | 12 | 18 | 16 | Ret | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 20 | NC | 19 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 17 | 14 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | 20 | 15 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | 21 | 21 | DNS | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Ret | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Ret | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | Ret | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ret | DNS | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| DNS | DNS | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| EX | EX | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| EX | EX | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pos | Driver | BRA | MAR | ITA | BEL | POR | UK | CZE | GER | ESP | JPN | MAC | Pts | |||||||||||
All teams were eligible to compete for the award, however points were only awarded to the two best placed cars of each team, providing they were driven byIndependent drivers.[9] Any other cars of that same team were considered to be invisible as far as scoring points was concerned.[9]
| Pos | Team | BRA | MAR | ITA | BEL | POR | UK | CZE | GER | ESP | JPN | MAC | Pts | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 17 | 11 | 9 | 248 | |
| 17 | 15 | Ret | Ret | 12 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 16 | Ret | DNS | 12 | 18 | 16 | 14 | |||
| 2 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 7 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 13 | Ret | 189 | |
| 16 | 16 | 17 | Ret | Ret | 13 | 20 | Ret | 15 | 11 | 21 | Ret | 17 | 15 | NC | 14 | 17 | 18 | 10 | 16 | Ret | Ret | |||
| 3 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | Ret | 19 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 162 | |
| Ret | DNS | Ret | DNS | Ret | DNS | Ret | 17 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 15 | 16 | Ret | 16 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 15 | Ret | |||
| 4 | Ret | 15 | 11 | 11 | 11 | Ret | 23 | Ret | 8 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 11 | 8 | Ret | 110 | |||||
| 5 | 18 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 19 | Ret | 12 | 19 | Ret | 14 | 16 | 14 | Ret | Ret | 16 | 16 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 94 | |
| 17 | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 12 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 33 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 13 | 13 | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 12 | 15 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 14 | 16 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 13 | Ret | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 18 | 15 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | 21 | 21 | DNS | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Ret | DNS | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| DNS | DNS | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| EX | EX | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| EX | EX | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pos | Team | BRA | MAR | ITA | BEL | POR | UK | CZE | GER | ESP | JPN | MAC | Pts | |||||||||||
Any driver who had not previously completed a full season in the championship was eligible to score points in the Rookie Challenge.[12] Points were awarded on a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis to the first eight finishers in the class[12] in each race.
| Pos | Driver | BRA | MAR | ITA | BEL | POR | UK | CZE | GER | ESP | JPN | MAC | Pts | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 19 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | Ret | 9 | 7 | Ret | 14 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 167 | |
| 2 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 18 | Ret | 17 | Ret | 15 | 9 | 7 | Ret | 7 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | Ret | 11 | 137 | |
| 3 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 8 | 8 | 11 | Ret | 12 | 8 | 11 | 20 | 7 | Ret | Ret | 13 | Ret | Ret | 130 | |
| 4 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 13 | Ret | 12 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 21 | Ret | 17 | 7 | NC | 12 | 14 | 17 | 10 | 9 | Ret | Ret | 94 | |
| 5 | 18 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 19 | Ret | 12 | 19 | Ret | 14 | 16 | 14 | Ret | Ret | 16 | 16 | 19 | 10 | 12 | 94 | |
| 6 | 16 | 13 | 16 | Ret | 10 | 13 | 15 | Ret | 15 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 61 | |||||||||
| Pos | Driver | BRA | MAR | ITA | BEL | POR | UK | CZE | GER | ESP | JPN | MAC | Pts | |||||||||||