The FIA World Touring Car Championship and the Copa Caixa Stock Car, Brazil’s most popular racing car series, will kick off the 2011 season together on March 20th.
The race meeting will take place at the Autódromo Internacional de Curitiba that has hosted the WTCC Race of Brazil from 2006 to 2010.
The plan to move the event to Interlagos was dropped because of logistic issues connected to fact that the circuit is undergoing renovation works. The change back to Curitiba is now subjected to the approval of the FIA.
WTCC is pleased to announce the signing of a three-year agreement with Vicar Promoções Desportivas, promoter of the Copa Caixa Stock Car, that will also be promoter of the WTCC Race of Brazil in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
In 2011 WTCC and Stock Car will feature in a joint event that is set to become one of the highlights of the international and Brazilian motorsport season, presenting fans and media alike with the excitement of the very best of touring car racing in the same weekend.
WTCC promoter Marcello Lotti commented on the agreement: "After five years as a stand-alone event, WTCC is now facing an important development through this partnership with Vicar. The opportunity of sharing the event with the Copa Caixa Stock Car and the outstanding joint promotion set up by Vicar will greatly enhance the world championship’s popularity in Brazil. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Municipality of Curitiba that enthusiastically keeps on supporting the WTCC event in Brazil."
A note from Vicar said: "It’s very important for our company to become promoter of an event which is part of a World Championship. We believe that being part of the same race meeting will be a benefit for both series, the WTCC and the Copa Caixa Stock Car, as the Brazilian motorsport enthusiasts will be treated to the great show of two top-level categories racing in the same weekend."
Curitiba will host the WTCC season’s opener for the fifth consecutive year