WTCC 2016 calendar adjusted – WTCC Race of Hungary on April

The FIA World Touring Car Championship calendar for 2016 has been voted on by the FIA Touring Car Commission today with Russia added to the provisional list of events already approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council during its meeting in Paris on 2 December. The amended WTCC schedule for 2016 will now be submitted for WMSC approval.

Including Russia on what will remain a 24-race, 12-weekend schedule for the second year running, has resulted in a change of dates for WTCC Race of Portugal, which will now take place from 24-26 June, two weeks later than originally scheduled, with WTCC Race of Russia occupying the 10-12 June slot at Moscow Raceway.

The minor calendar adjustment will ensure WTCC Race of Portugal in Vila Real retains its status as the final event of the European season prior to the summer break and will ensure that all logistical arrangements to transport the WTCC cars and equipment to South America by sea for WTCC Race of Argentina from 5-7 August will remain unaffected.

Furthermore, the WTCC Art Cars Competition at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK from 23-26 June will go ahead and further details on this exciting new initiative will be announced in due course.

By scheduling WTCC Race of Russia in June, it means WTCC Race of France will become the championship’s new curtain raiser with Circuit Paul Ricard hosting the action from 1-3 April.

François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCC promoter, said: “It has always been our intention to preserve Russia’s presence on the WTCC calendar and we are very pleased to have reached agreement with Moscow Raceway for this to happen. The venue always delivers excellent WTCC races and its close proximity to the Russian capital provides a number of promotional opportunities and I expect this event to run at a much larger scale than previous editions. Our sincere thanks go to the city of Vila Real, the FPAK in Portugal, the RAF in Russia, our Russian stakeholders LADA and Rosneft and the FIA Touring Car Commission for all their assistance with this calendar change. We now look forward to a very exciting WTCC with new cars, new drivers, new MAC 3 format and other new initiatives in store.”

FIA World Touring Car Championship calendar 2016*

1-3 April 2016: FIA WTCC Race of France (Circuit Paul Ricard)
15-17 April 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Slovakia (Slovakia Ring)
22-24 April 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Hungary (Hungaroring)
7-8 May 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Morocco (Circuit Moulay El Hassan, Marrakech) S
26-28 May 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Germany (Nürburgring Nordschleife)
10-12 June 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Russia (Moscow Raceway)
24-26 June 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Portugal (Circuito Internacional de Vila Real) S
5-7 August 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Argentina (Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo)**
2-4 September 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Japan (Twin Ring Motegi)
23-25 September 2016: FIA WTCC Race of China (Shanghai International Circuit)
4-6 November 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Thailand (Chang International Circuit)**
23-25 November 2016: FIA WTCC Race of Qatar (Losail International Circuit) N

S Indicates street race; N Indicates Night Race; * subject to final FIA World Motor Sport Council approval; ** pending on signature of promoter agreement

Source: Press release – https://www.fiawtcc.com