2005 WTCC series confirms Macau event

The FIA World Touring Car Championship will contest the final meeting of its maiden season on 20 November 2005, in Macau; this was confirmed yesterday by the signing of the agreement between the Macau Grand Prix Committee and KSO, promoter of the FIA WTCC.

The contract was signed at the Macau Tower, by João Manuel Costa Antunes, Coordinator of the Macau Grand Prix Committee, and Jacques Behar, Chairman of KSO. The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macau Government, Dr. Fernando Chui San On, and KSO's Chief Executive Marcello Lotti, attendend the ceremony, together with more than fifty media representatives.

"We are thrilled that Macau will play host to the most exciting international touring car race of the season. The inclusion of the final round of the FIA WTCC in our race programme, along with the FIA Intercontinental Cup of Formula 3 and the Motorcycle Grand Prix, confirms Macau's unique status on the international motorsport calendar," engineer Costa Antunes commented.

"For us is a great honour to be part of the Macau Grand Prix," said Mr Behar. "The FIA Intercontinental Cup for Formula 3 has built itself a reputation as the launching pad for the future stars of Formula 1. But Macau has also a solid touring car tradition, with the Guia Race. We are very proud that the FIA WTCC has been included in the programme of the 52nd Macau Grand Prix, and we are quite sure that this new cooperation will prove positive for both parties. Macau is the perfect place to seal the FIA WTCC's first season, and at the same time the whole Macau Grand Prix will benefit from TV coverage in Europe on Eurosport."

In preparation for 2005, the Macau Grand Prix Committee has already modified the Guia Race regulations and format to bring them closer to the FIA WTCC rules. This year, the event will be run over two races of 8 laps each (approximately 50km) with a 15 minute break in-between, and the FIA Super 2000 regulations have also been adopted. The participation of twenty S2000-spec cars, mainly from the FIA ETCC, is expected.

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