Given the changes during the off-season, the 2016 World Touring Car Championship could be the most unpredictable in recent seasons.Despite the uncertainties, several drivers are a dead-cert to be in the running for the title, including all of the past eight WTCC champions.
José María López (2014, 2015 champion)
Probably the hands-down favourite to win right now, López has been the reigning WTCC champion for the past two years. Racing for Citroën since 2014, the Argentine is aware of the increasing pressure from other teams such as Honda. Nevertheless, he hopes to make it three in a row as the season unfolds, and he will be aiming to match his tally of ten wins taken each season with Citroën so far.
Yvan Muller (2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 champion)
Twice the bridesmaid against team-mate López, Muller will be seeking to finally usurp his rival in 2016. Whether the Frenchman has struggled to get to grips with the TC1 regulations as well as López, or if he has lost some of his competitive edge, the 46-year-old has made no secret of his desire to push López harder in the coming season. Provided he doesn’t suffer from a run of bad luck, which seems to have avoided his team-mate, expect Muller to be in the thick of the title battle in 2016.
Gabriele Tarquini (2009 champion)
This year, Tarquini has moved to the LADA World Touring Car team after spending the past three years with Honda. In 2015, the Italian finished fifth place overall in the standings. He hopes to improve his chances of winning with his new outfit, although he may take time to adapt to the Russian car. Despite having just turned 54, Tarquini still has speed on his side, and has already broken records with his age when he became the oldest FIA world champion when he took the WTCC title in 2009.
Rob Huff (2012 champion)
Huff’s switch from LADA to Honda for 2016 is perhaps the best move the Brit could have made in his attempt to add to the title he took in 2012. A winless season in 2015 was the Brit’s first since 2005 when he joined the series. Expect the 36-ear-old to be more eager than ever to show the competition that he’s not forgotten hos winning ways. Further development of the Honda during the winter should move it closer to the pace-setting Citroëns.
Elsewhere
Outside of the four champions, a number of drivers could also be in the mix, including experienced Honda driver Tiago Monteiro, new Honda signing Norbert Michelisz, young LADA duo Nicky Catsburg and Hugo Valente, or even rank outsiders Thed Björk and Fredrik Ekblom at Volvo, who are joining the series full-time in 2016.
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