WTCC Preview

The World Touring Car Championship will have a new look to it when it kicks off in Brazil this weekend. Don't let that put you off though.

Despite the global tightening of purse strings among major car companies, a high-quality field has still been assembled, including four different models of car, three world champions and a lot of panel-bashing in store.

Out have gone works teams from SEAT and Lada, and half of the cars from the remaining works manufacturers. In, meanwhile, have come new races at Zolder and the Algarve, a new scoring system that follows F1's lead of points down to 10th, and a couple of ambitious independent squads each looking to make their mark on the series.

SEAT may have claimed the drivers' and manufacturers' crowns last year, but that was still not enough to convince the Spanish organisation to field a works team in 2010. Gabriele Tarquini will defend his title, but it will be in a Leon TDI run by Independent squad SUNRED Engineering, via its new SR-Sport operation.

Alongside the 49-year-old Italian, who became the oldest FIA world champion last year, will be fellow former works drivers Tiago Monteiro and Jordi Gene, while the 2009 independents champion Tom Coronel will have a TDI for the first time.

None currently lie anywhere near Tarquini's 58th place in the Castrol Rankings, but all have more to gain at the Curitiba season opener than him due to the win and fourth place he took last year that he must better in order to advance his position.

Unlike SEAT, BMW has not pulled its works team out of the WTCC, but it has downsized it. Schnitzer and ROAL have moved elsewhere, meaning that just two cars will represent the factory.

Augusto Farfus, a Schitzer driver since 2007, moves to RBM, and has not only a new team, but a new team-mate in the shape of Britain's Andy Priaulx as well. Priaulx, a three-time world champion, became increasingly annoyed last year at BMW's insistence on throwing its support behind Farfus.

If he can outpace the Brazilian this time, and improve on his current Castrol Rankings position of 91st (Farfus is 75th), he will leave few in any doubt as to who is the number one in the squad.

Finally there's Chevrolet. Alain Menu and Rob Huff remain on the roster, but veteran Nicola Larini has moved on, leaving a space for 2008 world champion Yvan Muller to join.

While it's easy to think that the Frenchman's track record will make him a de facto team leader, it's worth remembering that Menu has won more WTCC races than anyone outside of the BMW lineup.

Briton Huff, meanwhile, really stepped out of countryman Priaulx's shadow last year, and will be determined to improve on his fifth place last year - and his 104th spot in the Castrol Rankings.

Of course, there is a smattering of independent squads too. Favourites ought to be the Engstler and Proteam BMW teams, the former including race-winner Sergio Hernandez in its line-up.

Don't expect them to be given an easy ride by SUNRED's Leons, to be driven by Danish Touring Car title-winner Michel Nykjaer and Fredy Barth, or the Zengo-Denison car of highly-rated Hungarian Norbert Michelisz. The reigning SEAT Eurocup champion has a point to prove off the back of an impressive debut outing at Brands Hatch last year.

Whatever happens, there'll be no end of action to watch - especially when they hit the streets.