news:  touring cars
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30th March 2003: Preview of 2003 FIA European Touring Car Championship as season opener approaches
 
the Autodelta Alfa Romeo Team in pre-season testing, click here for a preview of the season opening round in Barcelona next weekendThe 2003 season of the LG Super Racing Weekend series will get underway next weekend, at the Circuit de Catalunya, a relatively new circuit in the coastal city of Barcelona, Spain. This will be the first time the Series has visited the modern, challenging circuit, although teams and drivers had an opportunity to test there earlier this month. The FIA GT Championship -- with a full and varied grid of Chrysler Viper, Ferrari, Lister, Porsche and Saleen cars -- the FIA European Touring Car Championship -- with Manufacturers Alfa Romeo, BMW and Seat, as well as teams representing Honda and Volvo -- and the brand-new Formula Renault V6 Eurocup, with its field of future champions, are the headlining events, with support races including the Renault Sport Clio Trophy, the Renault Sport Clio Elf International Cup and the Trofeo Maserati. 

The third season of the revived FIA European Touring Car Championship, and the second season with the Super 2000 specification cars, will get underway on Saturday April 5th, at the Circuit of Catalunya. Alfa Romeo and BMW will be back to continue the battle started last season, with new Manufacturer SEAT joining in, with two cars. Volvo and Honda will also be represented with privately-entered teams. Twenty-one drivers are due to take part in the first two rounds of the increasingly competitive and exciting Championship, which will take place on Sunday April 6th, with live coverage on Eurosport. 
18th March 2003: Eric Cayrolle signs up for another ETCC season with Scuderia Bigazzi
 
The final Alfa Romeo ETCC seat has been filled. French Touring Car specialist Eric Cayrolle signed for Scuderia Bigazzi, to drive the Italian team’s second Alfa Romeo 156 GTA alongside ETCC newcomer Alessandro Balzan. Cayrolle (40-years old from Pau) is a former triple French Super Touring champion and a regular FIA European Touring Car Championship competitor since 2001. 

In fact, he is the only driver together with Giovanardi, who took the start in all the forty ETCC rounds disputed so far since the championship was revived. In 2001 Cayrolle competed in the Super Touring Championship at the wheel of a Max Team BMW 320i (best result 5th), while in the past season he drove a Scuderia Bigazzi Alfa Romeo 156 Gta (best result 7th). 

“We are very pleased to have Eric again – team owner Paolo Bigazzi said – because he’s a nice guy and a good driver. I’m sure he can be very competitive in the Independents Trophy.” Cayrolle is one of the eight drivers listed to take part in the new trophy for privateers, which offers €260,000 prize money. “It wasn’t easy putting the programme together", said Cayrolle, "but finally we managed to do it. I’m quite pleased to stay in the ETCC and also with Scuderia Bigazzi. Last year we worked very well together and only bad luck prevented us to achieve much better results. I hope that in the coming season we’ll be in a position to benefit from what we have built so far. On the paper I think we have very good chances in the Independents Trophy.” 
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