STR plans WTCC expansion

Special Tuning Racing has revealed plans to expand into the World Touring Car Championship in 2012.

The proposed move with a two-car team would be alongside a continued two-car presence in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship - where it took a maiden victory this season with Tom Boardman.

The proposed deal will see the team run a pair of SEAT Leons in the WTCC fitted with a new 1.6-litre turbo engine and gearbox package being developed by SEAT Sport, with the team running with technical backup and engineering support from the Spanish manufacturer.

In the BTCC, the team had already said it intended to once again run two Leons with a Lehmann-developed NGTC-spec engine - as was the case in 2011.

"We are very excited by the prospect of working closely with SEAT Sport as a customer 'works' team," team principal John Boardman said. "This will take our involvement with running SEAT touring cars to the next level. We have over eight years experience racing the Leon in the WTCC, BTCC and SEAT single make series. This support from SEAT should make us even more competitive in next season's championship. We look forward to making our experience produce front running pace in the WTCC."