Macau under threat for 2015 WTCC calendar

The traditional season finale of the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in Macau could be dropped for the 2015 season, with a floodlight event in the Middle East a possible replacement.

According to respected touring car journalist Stefan Ziegler of the German website Motorsport-Total.com, the traditional end of season finale on the streets of Macau is under threat.

However the draft WTCC calendar has not yet been revealed, and Eurosport Events’ COO François Ribeiro cannot confirm anything until the FIA Touring Car Commission meets at the end of October. Should the WTCC no longer visit Macau, it is rumoured that the forthcoming TC3 International Series being organised by Marcello Lotti would take up a slot on the package.

The season is likely to begin with a race in Argentina, as has been rumoured for several months. In addition, the much anticipated race around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany is scheduled to take place in May, with an official test session at the circuit to be held in April.

The European season will also be given a shake-up, with the Hungaroring being the first event in the series’ traditional catchment area. The two closest events on the calendar, in Hungary and Slovakia, will be split up and it is possible that the Belgian round at Spa-Francorchamps is dropped again for 2015, having only been reinstated for the 2014 season.

The street race in Porto, which runs every two years, may take place in July and is in competition with the Salzburg round for the event of the European half of the season.

The date of the Japanese round has yet to be confirmed, with the release of the draft Formula 1 calendar brining the F1 race at Suzuka forward to the end of September on the weekend which Ribeiro would prefer the WTCC event to take place. It is not in the question, says Ribeiro, to have the WTCC event take place within a week of Formula 1.

As in 2014, there are also plans to have two events in mainland China, although it is unlikely that the series will return to the Beijing Goldenport circuit, where this year the facilities were heavily criticised.

Rumoured 2015 WTCC calendar

March – Argentina (Termas de Río Hondo)
April – Morocco (Marrakech)
April – Nürburgring Nordschleife (test)
May – Hungary (Hungaroring)
May – Germany (Nürburgring Nordschleife)
June – Russia (Moscow Raceway)
June – France (Le Castellet)
June – Slovakia (Slovakiaring)
July – Portugal (Porto) / Austria (Salzburgring)
September – Japan (Suzuka)
October – China (TBC)
October – China (Shanghai)
November – Season finale TBC