WTCC: the Lada Granta and the modifications not accepted or under study by the FIA

Lada will be another of the stars of the World Touring Car Championship this year. The team, after a brief withdrawal from the championship since late 2010, is returning once again with the Lada Granta. During the homologation process of the car to meet the FIA’s criteria, Lada requested modifications to the model, of which only one was approved by the sport’s highest governing body, with the rest being rejected or pending review.

The first unapproved modification was the request to widen the car by 9.4 centimetres, in order to work better with the front wheel camber alignment. The only model that was granted a similar request was the Seat León. In the case of the Spanish car, the widening of the bodywork does not exceed 3.4 centimetres.

Other requests consisted of the use of the same sub-chassis as the 2009 Lada Priora, which remains under study by the FIA. The request to use larger wheel arches, a different steering system and a fully removable front end, which would facilitate repair work in the event of an accident, has also been subject to a longer analysis.

The only thing the FIA has accepted is the inclusion of a front reinforcement for the Granta. Another requested modification was the use of a flat floor, which most teams will run this season, so Lada’s team should not face major obstacles to its approval. According to wind tunnel tests, the Lada Granta is even worse than the previous Lada Priora, aerodynamically speaking, which reduces its competitive prospects, as it does not have the same downforce as its rivals.

Via | Touring Car Times