ANDY PRIAULX will be 40kg better off than his main rivals as the World Touring Car Championship begins its European season this weekend.

The compensation weight system comes into force for the first time in the 2010 series at Monza and determines the running weight of the cars based on lap-time calculation.

The weights for Italy have been decided by the lap times set at the Brazil and Morocco meetings, with the Seat Leon TDI identified as the reference model which will received 40kg in addition to the minimum weight.

The Chevrolet Cruze LT will be on the same weight as the Seat, but the BMW 320si will not have any compensation weight added.

That is beneficial to BMW Team RBM driver Priaulx, who is currently fourth in the WTCC standings on 39 points having won the second race in Marrakech.

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