As the SEAT Cupra Championship enters its sixth year it has been very successful as a springboard for talented young drivers looking to make the step into professional motor sport. 20% of all previous competitors have gone on to race in the British or World Touring Car Championships (BTCC & WTCC), with race winners in both categories!
A UK specification New Leon is £40,000 + VAT. Great value for a car significantly faster than the previous Leon with exceptional reliability. Please click here for a full specification of the New Leon. Drivers looking to gain an advantage by maximising their time with the car before the March testing ban have now taken delivery of their cars.
2) What changes will there be for 2008?
The registration fee has been reduced to £7,750 + VAT, the
prize fund has been reallocated to enable more competitors to race and
the Championship has been restricted to 28 New Leons to guarantee track
time for all. Please
click here for more detail.
3) What prize fund is SEAT offering?
SEAT is supporting the Championship with a £1/4 million in prize
fund. The 1st prize will be a chance of a lifetime, a
SEAT Sport UK supported Touring Car event! There is also
race-by-race prize money totally over £80,000. Please
click here
to view the full prize fund breakdown.
4) What media coverage does the Championship achieve?
The Championship has always enjoyed a great deal of success with TV and
press coverage. In 2007 it was live on Setanta Sports
and also enjoyed a highlights show on ITV1. For more detailed viewing
figures and a crowd demographic breakdown please
click here.
In 2006 over 280,000 people also attended the race meetings!
SEAT provides exclusive paddock hospitality that caters for up to 200 people. This gives sponsors the opportunity to be at the heart of the racing and experience the electric atmosphere of race day from the comfort of a dedicated VIP area. Four passes are reserved for each competitor with more available for purchase when they be needed.
6) What support is available at the Meeting?
SEAT Sport UK offers huge support to competitors on event. At each
circuit there are more than thirteen staff dedicated to the Championship
offering parts, technical, data analysis and public relations support to
teams and drivers. The parts centre carries stock of all components and
a dedicated BARC Scrutineer is on hand to answer queries.
7) What is the entry fee and what does it include?
The entry (registration) fee has been reduced to £7,750 + VAT. This will
cover entry to all official test sessions (1 test day per race weekend),
all race entries, timing transponders and event timing. There will also
be a SEAT race suit and jacket included. With the prize money available
most drivers can win back most of this cost.
8) How do SEAT Sport
UK control costs?
Giving everyone the same opportunities to succeed is at the heart of the
SEAT Cupra Championship. Therefore tyres are restricted to 6 slick per
weekend, engines and gearboxes are sealed and may only be serviced by
SEAT Sport. The regulations are strictly enforced to ensure that private
teams can compete with established outfits.
9) What budget will I
need to run the car?
Following a successful first year with the New Leon's the estimate that
running costs would not rise with the New Leon has proved correct.
What people have often
determines what they spend but, including the New Leon and
registration we estimate competitive budgets for 2008 will range from £70k -
£100k. For more info, a parts price list is available from
Jeremy Doncaster.
10) How reliable is
the New Leon?
Incredibly! Throughout the summer SEAT Sport UK has tested the car’s
durability at nine circuits with 22 different drivers at the wheel. The
car has covered the equivalent of half a season’s running and hasn’t
missed a beat. To underline the reliability further, in the recent 24hr
of Barcelona a New Leon won outright and seven of the top ten finishers
were New Leons!
11) What restrictions, if any, will there be on testing?
There will be no restriction on testing until closer to the new season.
Once the test ban comes into force in March, drivers will be restricted
to three extra days away from SEAT Sport events throughout the year. More
info is available in the
regulations.
12) How does SEAT
control damage costs?
Damage is a blight on many Championships and can unnecessarily increase
a racing budget. SEAT Sport has introduced Point of View cameras in cars
and an additional grid slot penalty
designed to increase the punishment for poor driving standards. The
regulations have been hugely successful and massively reduced over
optimistic lunges.
13) What is the
format of the race weekends?
The SEAT Cupra Championship supports all 10 BTCC Meetings. Following a test day prior to the meeting, the SEAT Cupra Championship
will continue to enjoy two dedicated qualifying session for two equal
length races each Meeting. In 2007 the Championship will be contested
over 20 Rounds at 10 events. Please
click here for the full calendar.
14) How much of the
car can I use for sponsors?
Most of it. Only a small amount of space on the cars is kept for
Championship graphics, this includes areas on the front and rear bumper,
front door, roof and windscreen. For a detailed picture of the available
space please
click here.
15) When
will the Regulations be issued?
Final regulations will not be released until closer to the New Year but
they will remain similar to those of 2007. If there are any particular
aspects that you would like answers on in order to help finalise a
budget or similar, please contact Jeremy Doncaster via email or phone. For a
copy of the 2008 regulations please
click here.
For more
information on SEAT Sport UK please visit
www.seatsportuk.co.uk
or e-mail
jeremy.doncaster@seatsportuk.co.uk