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Monza Press Day launched

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The 2005 FIA World Touring Championship was launched today, during a crowdy press conference in Monza. More than 200 journalists, photographers and TV crew members coming from twenty different countries attendend the event, together with as many guests, including the Manufacturers’s representatives and drivers.

The press conference took place in the media centre, during a break between the different sessions of the official testing that have been started at 9.00 in the morning. During the press conference, Marcello Lotti, promoter of the FIA WTCC said: “Four years ago in Monza, we had started from scratch with the FIA European Touring Car Championship. If by then somebody would have told me that in four years we were here again to start a World Championship, I would have said he was mad…”

Jacques Behar, chairman of KSO and managing director of Eurosport, unveiled the worldwide TV distribution for the season: “Besides Eurosport usual coverage, the FIA WTCC will be broadcast on a number of premiere national TV channels, like the RAI in Italy, TF1 in France, TVE in Spain, ZDF in Germany and TV Azteca in Mexico. And other negotiations are still ongoing.” An unexpected guest joined the attendance at the last minute: Lapo Elkann, manager of FIAT Auto brand promotion. After the presse conference was over he also enjoyed a ride in one of the Alfa Romeo 156 racing cars driven by Augusto Farfus.

Stay tuned for times from the testing!