Photo: WTCC Media

Provisional 2013 calendar expands to 13 events

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The WTCC has filed a draft calendar with the FIA,which is subject to approval, which expands the number of rounds next season to 13, and as expected adding a round in Russia at the Moscow Raceway.

The expanded calendar follows series promoter Marcello Lotti’s earlier comments to TouringCarTimes that expanding the season by one race could be possible for next year, with all of the countries which feature on this year’s calendar being retained. New rounds were being considered in Russia at the Moscow Raceway, which appears on the draft calendar, as well as a potential opening round of the Championship at the Buddh International Circuit in India, but the latter has not appeared on the proposal.

The draft calendar, published by Motorsport-Total, includes just one change of venue from this season, with the Portuguese round being held on the streets of Porto in 2013, as the city has done in every other year. This is also enforced by financial issues at the Algarve circuit in Portimão, which held the Portuguese rounds this year and in 2010.

Portugal and Spain are the only two Western European countries to host rounds. Spain’s event is shown at a circuit yet to be announced. Previously this race has always taken place at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo just outside of Valencia.

The shape of the calendar is also similar to this season’s new structure, with the season starting in Monza followed by all of the European rounds, with the Americas trip to Brazil and the USA between July and September, and circuits in Asia hosting the final three rounds.

Provisional Calendar for 2013 WTCC Season

10th March – Monza, Italy
24th March – TBD, Spain
7th April – Marrakech, Morocco
28th April – Slovakiaring, Slovak Republic
5th May – Hungaroring, Hungary
19th May – Salzburgring, Austria
9th June – Moscow Raceway, Russia
30th June – Porto, Portugal
28th July – Curitiba, Brazil
22nd September – Sonoma Raceway, USA
20th October – Suzuka, Japan
3rd November – Shanghai, China
17th November – Macau, China