2016 World Touring Car Championship calendar released

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has approved the race calendar for the 2016 World Touring Car Championship (WTCC). This was confirmed through FIA's World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) meeting in Paris.

Other than the 2016 race calendar, the WMSC confirmed the introduction of the 'Manufacturers Against the Clock' (MAC3) time-trial concept for next year's WTCC season which will contribute to the manufacturers' championship points.

Under the MAC3 time-trial concept, WMSC said that each manufacturer will nominate three cars to participate in a two-lap “qualifying” run. The time will be stopped when the last car has crossed the finish line. WMSC adds that drivers participating in MAC3 will receive an extra set of tires for the session.

Furthermore, the WMSC said that WTCC's partial reverse grid race will now be Race 1 on the weekend from 2016.

The provisional 2016 WTCC calendar approved by the WMSC are as follows:

March 20             TBD

April 3                France

April 17              Slovakia

April 24              Hungary

May 8                Morocco

May 29              Germany

June 12              Portugal

August 7             Argentina

September 4        Japan

September 25      China

November 6        Thailand

November 25       Qatar