KSO statement regarding SRO relationship

With regards to the 2006 season, KSO (promoter of the FIA World Touring Car Championship) and Eurosport (host broadcaster of the FIA World Touring Car Championship) requested to SRO (promoter of the FIA GT Championship), to reduce from three hours to two hours the length of the FIA GT Championship races.

This request was proposed for the following reasons:

a) because KSO wished to have a better balance of track time between the FIA WTCC and the FIA GT during the weekend

b) because KSO wished to reduce from three days to two days the duration of the racing meetings

c) because Eurosport is convinced that the current three-hour format of the FIA GT races is too long for a good TV coverage

After a number of inconclusive meetings, yesterday evening KSO have decided to stop their commercial relationship with SRO from 2006.

Therefore, from the next season the FIA World Touring Car Championship events will not include any rounds of the FIA GT Championship, as it is already the case this year for the rounds in Puebla, Valencia and Macau.

-kso-