http://www.touringcartimes.com/news.php?id=1886

If Audi dont run a 2006 car either it'll be 1 mobile chicane less for the front runners to deal with!!

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In the Daily Telegraph, Kevin Garside made the well-received point that even if Mosley had criticised JYS's comedy music hall trousers, at least they remained round his waist, not his ankles...

At first sight sounds a good idea as it guarantees Susie a year-old car which is great news. Also it will mean that the racing will be even closer than last year as the performance of the cars will be more even. But 9 cars a team means only 18 cars on the grid, which I think is a bit small imo. Perhaps this indicates that a third manufacturer is on the horizon.....

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Come On You Stones - Maidstone United FC
DTM @ Brands Hatch - 31st August 2008

Well, I think kind of good. As it will reduce costs, and it means Susie will get an 07 seat, as Deano mentions are the cars will be closer in performance, therefore racing.

However, 18 cars is quite a small number. A new car maker could enter perhaps, in 2010 to increase the grid size.

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The official lubricant for all Mercedes-Benz Motorsport engines

Yep I think the best news is that the two year old cars are gone, as they were hopeless up against the newer models unless Di Resta was on board. Why don't they run 5 new cars though? It surely isn't that much expense to fund another car is it?

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Come On You Stones - Maidstone United FC
DTM @ Brands Hatch - 31st August 2008

Yep the two year old cars were hopeless, it makes logical sense to run 5 2008-spec cars from a marketing point of view - having more newer spec cars.

Audi have already said that will run only 4 cars, well Merc could have an upper hand if they decide to run an additional 08 car, Merc will have a stronger line up.

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The official lubricant for all Mercedes-Benz Motorsport engines

Yep but they had this sort of thing last year when Merc wanted to run five new cars they didn't because Audi could only run four so I imagine they will copy one another on the car front.

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Come On You Stones - Maidstone United FC
DTM @ Brands Hatch - 31st August 2008

Well Merc copying Audi on that front, 4 08 cars on that front!

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The official lubricant for all Mercedes-Benz Motorsport engines

Might be an obvious answer, but what is the cost differential between running an old car vs a new one?

I mean all the R&D and basic testing is already covered, transport & staff costs won't change; build cost is all I can see - but knock off the cost of servicing an old car in the off season & I can't imagine a HUGE difference (especially when compared with the performance improvement).

Audi will have more mobile chicane's than Merc out their this year, meaning the older cars can hold HWA Merc drivers. We saw both car makers playing that game last year.

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The official lubricant for all Mercedes-Benz Motorsport engines

That's what the new pit window rule is supposed to prevent. There will only be 4 laps given to make a pitstop.

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22Lewis Hamilton
23Heikki Kovalainen
Pedro de la Rosa
Gary Paffett

That bound to create a bit of chaos in the pit lane then

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Come On You Stones - Maidstone United FC
DTM @ Brands Hatch - 31st August 2008