The WTCR will disappear at the end of 2022 to make way for an international race

The World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) has come to an end. The competition based on the ashes of the WTCC in 2018 and promoted by Discovery Sports Events (formerly Eurosport Events) will not take place in 2023, according to an announcement published this Friday, October 14.

The WTCR, a championship sanctioned by the International Automobile Federation, will conclude its storied five-year history at the Jeddah street circuit (Saudi Arabia, November 25-27). The following year, an international competition should see the light of day; it would be a single meeting, always with the technical regulations of the TCR and the involvement of the FIA.

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François Ribeiro, Director of Discovery Sports Events, explains the end of the WTCR. For the Frenchman, the difficulties of transforming fossil fuels into synthetic fuels constitute one of the reasons for the decline in interest among manufacturers in the discipline.

“In 2021, when we announced the extension of our long-term partnership with the FIA ​​to promote the WTCR, we did so with the aim of making the WTCR even more environmentally sustainable, as part of our roadmap aimed at offering more sustainable motorsport, He explains.

The introduction of 100% sustainable fuel was at the heart of this approach. Unfortunately, it has become clear that 100% non-fossil fuel is not yet compatible with the production engines used in the TCR category, as it places too much strain on the mechanical components.

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With more and more sponsors not wanting to be associated with a category that does not use fossil fuel, we were really concerned that this would have a negative impact on the number of cars on the WTCR grid in 2023.”

The Covid-19 pandemic, and the restrictive measures on the Asian continent, had already represented a hard blow for a championship which relies largely on mythical places of Tourism (Japan and Macau in particular). The Russo-Ukrainian war and the unfavorable economic context in 2022 did not help to revive the appeal of WTCR, who is content with European circuits before a brief tour in the Middle East this season.

The FIA ​​ETCR continues

However, Dicovery Sports Events had entered into an agreement with the FIA to continue promoting the WTCR until 2025. “ For the agreement to cover 2023, 2024 and 2025, an option had to be exercised, specifies François Ribeiro. We have made the decision not to exercise this option and to work on developing a new format instead that will ensure the best possible future for the world's premier combustion engine touring car competition.

We are really optimistic, with WSC (holder of the TCR technical regulations and TCR rights. Editor’s note), that the new format will be highly relevant to the TCR category, while providing car manufacturers with a platform to motivate their customer teams and present their racing cars in the best light. We will provide more details once arrangements have been finalized. »

If the WTCR will soon be history, this is not the case for the FIA ​​ETCR, the World Cup for electric touring cars. The competition will continue in 2023 in an unchanged format, the day after coronation of Frenchman Adrien Tambay on Cupra.

“Nothing changes for 2023, the FIA ​​ETCR will continue to be an FIA World Cup for touring cars in a multi-event format and will be a priority for us, continues François Ribeiro. These electric cars are real racing beasts that offer exciting races.

The presentation of the category is very modern and the format has been approved by the best international touring car drivers. The FIA ​​ETCR is synonymous with authentic racing and sustainability, two essential assets for looking to the future in a positive way. »

FIA supports DSC

As for the involvement of the FIA, it will be re-evaluated depending on the international thermal race that Discovery Sports Events will soon submit, but it will always be present, as assured by the President of the FIA ​​Touring Car Commission, Alan Gow. “It is necessary to identify and assess what is the best and most sustainable future for top-level touring car racing within the FIA ​​framework.

Our aim would be to maintain a world title for conventionally-engined touring cars and ensure that the competition is strong and prestigious. Throughout its history, world touring car racing has used different formats, with titles decided either by a series or at a single event.

We are currently investigating all possibilities, with a priority being ensured that any competition has a stable foundation on which it can thrive for its long-term future. With the TCR, we have a proven set of technical regulations, with a variety of car brands represented and over 1 cars racing around the world. Therefore, the intention is to continue with this platform in the future. »