Yesterday, in Paris, the FIA World Motor Sport Council approved the new FIA World Touring Car Championship (“FIA WTCC”).

Up to six manufacturers are expected to join the proceedings. Alfa Romeo, BMW, SEAT, Peugeot, Honda and Ford are the likely protagonists, all of them are currently involved with the present European Touring Car Championship format.

The FIA is working with KSO Ltd as promoter of the Championship. KSO has been organising the FIA European Touring Car Championship since 2001.

The FIA World Touring Car Championship will be reserved for FIA Super 2000 cars and will award two FIA World titles, Drivers and Manufacturers.

“We are very grateful to the FIA for this great opportunity. The decision to upgrade the ETCC to the WTCC is the best reward for our efforts, this makes us very proud of the contribution we made towards relaunching touring car competition internationally,” Jacques Behar, Chairman of KSO, commented.

The creation of an FIA World Touring Car Championship was the logical consequence of the growth recorded in touring car racing since the FIA revived the European Championship (2001), and wrote new technical regulations (2002), which rapidly spread worldwide.

The FIA World Touring Car Championship joins the list of the two car World Championships already organised by the FIA: the Formula One World Championship and the FIA World Rally Championship.

The 2005 FIA World Touring Car Championship will consist of ten race meetings, two championship rounds will be raced at each meeting, giving a total of 20 rounds.

The FIA World Motor Sport Council also agreed the introduction of the HANS device in the championship, obligatory from January 1st, 2005.

Alfa Romeo have been heavily involved with the FIA European Touring Car Championship since its rebirth. Fabrizio Giovanardi was Driver's Champion in 2001 and 2002, while Gabriele Tarquini took the title last year to give them a clean sweep.

Alfa Romeo Nordauto took the Team's title in 2001, while the next year saw Alfa claim the reborn Manufacturer's prize.

The new FIA World Touring Car Championship is expected to give Alfa Romeo a global stage to perform on, a platform the justifiably deserve.

2005 FIA WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP – PROVISIONAL CALENDAR

6 March - Buenos Aires (ARG)
3 April – Monza (ITA)
24 April – Magny-Cours (FRA)
8 May – Donington (GBR)
22 May – Brno (CZE)
26 June – TBA
30 July – Spa (BEL)
4 September – Oschersleben (GER)
25 September – Istanbul (TUR)
20 November – Macau (CHN)