EUROSPORT EVENTS AND FIA AGREE THREE-YEAR WTCR EXTENSION

It has signed a three-year contract extension with motorsport’s world governing body to promote the WTCR for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons, a responsibility it has undertaken to great acclaim and with unwavering commitment since 2018 when the series began.

The licence agreement with WSC to use the TCR technical regulations has also been extended to cover the same period, further underlining the shared objective of Eurosport Events, the FIA and WSC to provide teams and customer racing departments with a stable and proven platform on which to compete for the long term.

Stability and commitment
As well as ensuring stability for all stakeholders, by seeking and achieving an extension to the existing WTCR agreement with the FIA, Eurosport Events is further underlining its duty to the series it helped to deliver as a more accessible replacement to the FIA World Touring Car Championship for the 2018 season.

Despite the challenges brought about by COVID-19, that commitment has never diminished with no reduction in the level of investment in order to maximise the appeal of the series to teams, customer racing departments, suppliers, commercial partners, event promoters, broadcasters and fans − and to ensure that the WTCR is in an even stronger position when there is a significant improvement in the pandemic situation globally.

Building on the momentum
The 2021 WTCR season is shaping up to be another outstanding year for the series and Eurosport Events was eager to build on the continued momentum. This comes from several key assets including a quality driver line-up, the participation by top-level teams, the renewed commitment from the customer racing departments of car manufacturers and existing partners, DHL, Goodyear and TAG Heuer, a growing roster of global broadcasters, plus the opportunity to race on several top tracks.

The WTCR can again count on a starting grid made up of some of the best touring car racers in the world. An exciting mixture of young hopefuls, experienced campaigners and world title winners, more details will be revealed as the countdown to the planned season-opening WTCR Race of Germany at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife gets closer.

Roadmap to greater sustainability
In partnership with the FIA and P1 Racing Fuels, the WTCR will be powered by sustainable fuel from this season. In 2021, the bespoke fuel will feature 15 per cent renewable components with the objective of using 100 per cent sustainable fuel in the series by 2023. Eurosport Events is also on course to achieve the FIA’s three-star environmental accreditation ahead of the 2021 season getting underway.

François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, said: “We’ve worked non-stop to keep high the level of WTCR through a very constructive cooperation with the FIA and a quality global promotion. By securing a contract extension, even during this unprecedented period we are all living through, we’ve cemented this commitment and provided much needed stability to all our stakeholders. We believe in high level combustion customer racing and will do everything possible to make WTCR an even more environmentally sustainable competition over the next five years. With Eurosport Events promoting new electric touring car activities from this season it’s only right to enforce the message that this is not a case of one chapter closing and others opening, but of all our activities receiving a significant level of investment for the long term.”

Alan Gow, President of the FIA Touring Car Commission, said: “In Eurosport Events we have a partner that’s fully committed to delivering the best possible WTCR. We are delighted to be extending this extremely successful alliance that began in 2005 and shows no sign of slowing down, only speeding up. With Eurosport Events and the FIA’s Sporting Department, the WTCR is in very good hands now and for the future.”

Marcello Lotti, President of the WSC Group, said: “Having a strong series at the top of the TCR pyramid is essential to the ongoing and unprecedented success of the TCR category around the world and we are very pleased there will be a WTCR for at least another three years after this as we continue our partnership with Eurosport Events and the FIA.”

WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup 2021 calendar
Rounds 1 and 2: WTCR Race of Germany, Nürburgring Nordschleife: June 3-5
Rounds 3 and 4: WTCR Race of Portugal, Vila Real: June 26-27
Rounds 5 and 6: WTCR Race of Spain, MotorLand Aragón: July 10-11
Rounds 7 and 8: WTCR Race of Italy, Adria International Raceway: July 31-August 1
Rounds 9 and 10: WTCR Race of Hungary, Hungaroring: August 21-22
Rounds 11 and 12: WTCR Race of South Korea, Inje Speedium: October 16-17
Rounds 13 and 14: WTCR Race of China, Ningo International Speedpark: November 6-7
Rounds 15 and 16: WTCR Race of Macau, Circuito da Guia: November 19-21