Diesel SEATs hit with revs limit
| By Edd Straw |
Friday, May 9th 2008, 11:04 GMT |
 The diesel-powered SEAT Leons have been hit with a new maximum engine revs limit ahead of next week's third round of the World Touring Car Championship at Valencia.
The SEATs have had their maximum revs cut to 4,100rpm, compared to the 8,500rpm limit which the cars have run since their debut in Sweden last year.
Although the move appears dramatic, the 8,500rpm rule was tailored to far higher-revving petrol-powered car with the diesel power plants never getting close to that engine speed.
However, the move is expected to moderate the advantage the SEATs have at the end of long straights, where previously the engine would still be pulling while the petrol cars had hit the rev limiter.
In addition to the change to the SEATS, the bureau has also granted a reduction in the weight of the BMW 320si driven by ROAL Engineering's Alex Zanardi.
The Italian, who drives with hand controls but uses one of his prosthetic legs to brake, has had his base weight reduced by 15kg.
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