This year’s World Touring Car Cup is set to commence in September with a shortened calendar, restricted to the European continent.
The revised WTCR is set to be confirmed in the coming days and is understood to be comprised of six weekends, taking place on European tracks.
It is believed that two of the events will maintain the double-header format planned for this year, while four will run to the former triple-header weekend schedule, thereby bringing the total number of races to 16.
Speaking with Motorsport.com, boss of WTCR promoter Eurosport Event, Francois Ribeiro, said the dates have been submitted to the FIA and further confirmation is expected in the coming days.
“It is very possible that we will be starting in September.
“We have submitted our dates to the FIA and there will be a communication next week when our calendar is revealed.”
This means the four-event Asian leg of the championship made up of race in Ningbo, Inje, Macau and Sepang will be cancelled outright.
Ribeiro remains hopeful of the grid holding up for the start of the season, stating that he would be “super-happy with 18 to 20 cars”.
Macau meanwhile, will host its own touring car race should it be omitted from the revised WTCR schedule.
Macau Sports Institute president Pun Weng Kun told local radio that he was hopeful that international drivers will still be attracted to the event.
The Macau Guia looks set to be run for two-litre turbocharged cars, as it was in 2015 when the fledgling TCR International Series attached points for its own classification to the event.
Should this be the case, it is likely the bulk of the entries will come from the TCR China series, which finishes its own championship four weeks before the Macau event.
The status of the GT event on the Macau bill remains uncertain at this stage, including whether it will continue as the FIA-sanctioned GT World Cup.
Source: Motorsport.com