The FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) has unveiled its calendar for the first edition of the WTCR series, the new motorsports category that merges together the previous FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) and TCR specifications cars.
The new series is set to bring more cars, more races and new rules, adding interest and competition to WTCC, which had been losing both popularity and manufacturers’ support.
Although it is still incomplete, in the calendar revealed last week, there is a high possibility that the “Season Finale” for the new series will be held on the Guia Circuit in Macau, marking the return of the season’s main event to the region.
Commenting on the calendar, François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events and WTCR promoter said, “publication of the provisional schedule marks another important step ahead of the inaugural FIA WTCR season in 2018. The nine selected events will not only offer a great variety of circuits to drivers and teams, but will also mean that WTCR races take place in front of big crowds. We are in discussions with two potential locations, which Eurosport Events has not worked with before, to select one additional event for FIA WTCR schedule, and we hope to conclude these as soon as possible.”
Remarking on the new regulations, Ribeiro said, “the combination of the TCR technical regulations, the expertise and neutrality of the FIA and its stringent sporting rules and procedures, plus the promotional strength of Eurosport Events, gained since 2005, will deliver a highly competitive grid, exciting racing and a fan-friendly format that can only drive success.”
It was also noted by the organizers that the deal, which will merge the series regulations and technical specifications, is valid for two seasons.
On the topic, Marcello Lotti, Chief Executive Officer of WSC Ltd, which owns the rights over the TCR concept said, “we are very proud of this agreement that fully respects the very spirit of TCR. The association, with an experienced promoter such as Eurosport Events, together with the FIA label on the WTCR represent the ultimate recognition for the TCR concept that we launched three years ago and that hasn’t stopped growing since.”
The TCR technical regulations cater for front-wheel-drive, four/five-door sedan or hatchback cars using turbocharged production engines with a capacity of between 1750-2000cc and with a maximum power output of 350bhp.
At the moment, there are already 19 TCR-based championships or series around the world, while car manufacturers have put forward many proposals of vehicles eligible to race under the TCR specifications.
Alfa Romeo, Audi, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, KIA, LADA, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, SEAT, Subaru and Volkswagen are just some of the brands that currently have models approved and racing under this category, but more are expected to join in the future.
According to TCR organizers, to date, over 600 TCR racing cars have been built and sold to customer teams all over the world.
The season will start on April 8 in Marrakech, Morocco, and is expected to hold events in the major Touring Car circuits including Hungaroring, Nurburgring, Zandvoort, Vila Real, Termas de Rio Hondo, Ningbo, China, Suzuka, and Macau.
Some of the choices for the season finale night events are countries such as Qatar or the UAE.
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