World title-winning Alsace touring car aces launch home WTCR counter 03.06.2022: Alsace racing drivers Yann Ehrlacher and Yvan Muller, who have a combined six FIA World Touring Car titles between them, joined local officials and event organisers to launch the build-up to the inaugural WTCR Race of Alsace GrandEst, which is scheduled t

Alsace racing drivers Yann Ehrlacher and Yvan Muller, who have a combined six FIA World Touring Car titles between them, joined local officials and event organisers to launch the build-up to the inaugural WTCR Race of Alsace GrandEst, which is scheduled to take place at Anneau du Rhin from August 6/7.



Twenty-five-year-old Ehrlacher and his legendary uncle Muller, 52, compete in the WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup for Cyan Racing Lynk & Co. The all-action series promoted by Paris-based Discovery Sports Events visits the Alsace venue for the first time this summer for two races broadcast live in more than 185 countries and contested by car brands Audi, CUPRA, Honda, Hyundai and Lynk & Co through their customer racing departments.



Ehrlacher, whose mother Cathy, Yvan Muller’s sister, was a successful racing driver in her own right, is the son of former professional footballer Yves. He has won the WTCR title for the last seasons and will start his home rounds of the series as the King of WTCR.



“With Yvan we are really proud to represent Alsace and to have a race here is absolutely incredible,” said Ehrlacher. “It’s good as well for the fans because this region has been always fanatical about racing. We had the World Rally Championship in the past with Sébastien Loeb but the fans have been waiting for something to come back at a high level and now they have it.



It will be a great event and the circuit is really good, too. There’s a long straight, high-speed and low-speed corners and a fast chicane. It will be quite intense to put a good lap together, but it will be really good and close racing and something the fans will like to see.”



Ehrlacher tested at Anneau du Rhin earlier this year and remarked on the “strange” feeling he experienced. “It was really strange and really weird waking up in my home and going to see the people I work with far away from home but just 20 minutes down the road.



I am not used to seeing my crew 20 minutes from where I was going to school. On a Monday morning five years ago or something like this I was waking up at the same time to go to school but, for the test, I was waking up and taking the same road to a race track as a professional driver.”



Muller, who holds the record for the most FIA World Touring Car Championship race wins and titles, said: “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to race at least once in our career in front of many people from our region. That will probably create some more pressure because a lot of people will be there so it will not be an easy weekend, but we will try to manage.



I did the WRC event in Alsace but it’s not comparable because the WRC is not my category, I was there as a tourist almost but here I am a WTCR driver and in World Touring Cars is where I have my titles so it will be different to the WRC experience. The track is quite interesting but it’s tricky and mistakes can be made.”



Jean-Baptiste Ley, WTCR Director for promoter Discovery Sports Events, said: “Today’s launch is another important step towards bringing the WTCR to the GrandEst region of France, a very important car manufacturing hub but one with a long history in the motorsport and automotive sectors.



With Yann and Yvan on the grid we can be sure of lots of home support and the fans coming to Anneau du Rhin and watching on TV around the world will be treated to plenty of action.”



During the launch, which was also attended by Anneau du Rhin Directors Caroline Bugatti and François Rinaldi, Joshua Reibel, the circuit’s General Manager, presented the provisional timetable for the event and outlined details of several activities taking place at the track and in Mulhouse on August 5.



They include a display of WTCR cars and an autograph session in the city, while fans attending the event will savour a demonstration of historic Bugatti cars plus the 1001-horsepower Bugatti Veyron. Other attractions include an historic Formula One car lapping the circuit, a military demonstration in addition to many other activities.






The provisional WTCR track sessions at WTCR Race of Alsace GrandEst are as follows:



Saturday August 6

09h30-10h15: Free Practice 1
12h30-13h00: Free Practice 2
15h00-15h20: Qualifying Q1
15h25-15h35: Qualifying Q2
15h45-16h00: Qualifying Q3



Sunday August 7

12h15: Race 1 (30 minutes+1 lap)
16h15: Race 2 (25 minutes+1 lap)




Anneau du Rhin in short


Anneau du Rhin began life in 1996 and offers a 3.621-kilometre layout inspired by Circuit Paul Ricard. The main straight is 1050 metres long, while its picturesque forest location provides a spectacular setting. Located equidistant between the cities of Colmar and Mulhouse, the venue benefits from access to excellent transport infrastructure and ample accommodation.

The Grand Est region is not only home to Anneau du Rhin but also to the Bugatti sportscar brand and a PSA manufacturing plant. Of the 35,000 jobs provided in the local area, 35,000 are in the automotive industry.



Meanwhile, Caroline Bugatti, the granddaughter of Ettore Bugatti, is a board member of Anneau du Rhin. Nine-time FIA World Rally champion Sébastien Loeb, plus multiple FIA World Touring Car title winners Yann Ehrlacher and Yvan Muller were all born and raised in Alsace.





 Richard Rodgers, photos WTCR