2015 FIA WTCC DHL RACE OF QATAR

Rounds 23 & 24 – Losail International Circuit, 26-27 November

The chase for FIA World Touring Car Championship success reaches its climax in Qatar this week when the curtain comes down on a 2015 season jam-packed with action, drama and excitement. And with Losail International Circuit staging the WTCC’s maiden night race and the championship’s first visit to the Middle East, an historic occasion awaits. By claiming his ninth victory of the campaign in Thailand earlier this month, Citroën’s José María López made it back-to-back WTCC crowns*. And another triumph in Qatar would equal his record of 10 wins in one season set in 2014.

Two of his team-mates who will be among the drivers taking centre stage at the highly-acclaimed MotoGP venue. Just five points separate Frenchmen Sébastien Loeb and Yvan Muller in the battle for second place in the final standings with Loeb, the nine-time world rally champion turned WTCC contender, in the ascendency. While Muller, a quadruple WTCC title-holder, faltered with two non-finishes in Thailand, Loeb inherited his fourth win of the year following Portuguese driver Tiago Monteiro’s exclusion due to a technical infringement.

With a future in cross-country rallying planned, Qatar could be Loeb’s WTCC farewell. Monteiro’s misfortune means he will face a tall order in WTCC DHL Race of Qatar if he’s to beat Gabriele Tarquini (Italy) and Norbert Michelisz to the honour of finishing 2015 as the leading Honda driver. Like Loeb and Muller, Michelisz is embroiled in a close fight for WTCC glory. The Hungarian is seven points ahead of Morocco’s Mehdi Bennani in the Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy.

Although Michelisz has claimed two more class wins than Bennani, three of Bennani’s six triumphs have come in the last four races, while Michelisz hasn’t won since mid-September, increasing the prospect of a wide-open contest. Meanwhile, British privateer Tom Chilton has sought advice from younger brother Max about racing at night: Chilton Jr took part in two Singapore Grands Prix, which was also run after hours and required drivers to adjust their body clocks. Home hero and Middle East sporting legend Nasser Al-Attiyah will make his WTCC debut and a rare circuit racing appearance.

LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT

Lap distance:     5.380km

Race distance: 2 x 12 laps / 64.56km 

Location: Al Wusail, North Relief Road, Qatar 

Press officer: Neus Ramos Feliu, neusramos@telefonica.net, +974 55038426 

Airports: Hamad International Airport, 30km

Lap records:      
Qualifying: To be established
Race: To be established

DID YOU KNOW?

5 December 2003 – Nasser Al-Attiyah wins his first FIA title, the Middle East Rally Championship. He makes his WTCC debut in his native Qatar this weekend.

2 October 2004 – The Losail International Circuit opens for business; MotoGP racing under floodlights becomes a popular fixture on the calendar.

28 June 2015 – The agreement to bring the WTCC to Qatar is signed at a ceremony in France: QMMF President and FIA Vice President Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya and François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport conduct proceedings.

WTCC TIMETABLE

Thursday 26 November

11.00-22.00: Media Accreditation Centre open

11.30-23.00: Media Centre open

12.30-13.00: WTCC Testing

19.00-19.30: WTCC Free Practice 1

21.30-22.00: WTCC Free Practice 2

Friday 27 November

13.30-23.00: Media Accreditation Centre open

13.30-until last journalist leaves: Media Centre open

15.00-15.20: WTCC Qualifying Q1

15.25-15.35: WTCC Qualifying Q2

15.40 (pit lane opens): WTCC Qualifying Q3

16.10 (approx.): WTCC post-qualifying press conference (Media Centre)

19.30-20.30: Opening ceremony

21.30: WTCC Race 1 (12 laps)

22.05 (approx.): WTCC podium race 1

22.40: WTCC Race 2 (12 laps)

23.15 (approx.): WTCC podium race 2

23.30 (approx.): WTCC post-race press conference (Media Centre)

FIA OFFICIALS

Chairman of the Stewards:Paolo Longoni (ITA)

2nd International Steward: Horst Seidel (DEU)

Race Director: Miroslav Bartos (CZE)

Assistant to the Race Director: Rui Marques (PRT)

Medical Delegate: Jacques Tropenat (FRA)

Technical Delegate: Manuel Leal (ESP)

Press Delegate: Richard Rodgers (GBR)

Incident Camera Delegate: Lionel Bérard (FRA)

Safety Car Driver: Bruno Correia (PRT)

FIA Coordinator: Olivier Steveny (BEL)

FIA WORLD TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIFICATIONS

The provisional classification will be available at www.fiawtcc.com

FIA WTCC DHL RACE OF QATAR

Results of each track session will be available at www.fiawtcc.com

*All results remain subject to official FIA confirmation