Defending champion José María López is one of four WTCC title winners chasing success along with Citroën team-mate Yvan Muller, who is vying for a record-extending fifth crown this year.

Honda’s increased factory presence features 2012 champion Rob Huff, plus double Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy winner Norbert Michelisz and ex-F1 racer Tiago Monteiro.

Gabriele Tarquini, 2009 WTCC champion, joins former arch rival and privateer Hugo Valente at LADA Sport Rosneft with Nicky Catsburg returning for a second season with the Russian squad.

Thed Björk and Fredrik Ekblom will front Polestar Cyan Racing’s WTCC bid in their debut season in Volvo S60s.

Mehdi Bennani, Tom Chilton and Grégoire Demoustier head the Sébastien Loeb Racing attack, John Filippi, who turned 21 last month, will continue his WTCC initiation with Campos Racing, while Tom Coronel extends his partnership with ROAL Motorsport.

NIKA Racing has signed ex-Formula 3 racer John Bryant-Meisner (21) to pilot its Honda Civic, while Zengő Motorsport has two Honda Civic entries marked “to be confirmed subject to FIA approval”.

René Münnich returns to the WTCC after a year away in 2015. The German will tackle selected events in his ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport operation, which will field replacement drivers for the rounds he is unable to contest due to schedule clashes.

The 2016 WTCC season begins at Circuit Paul Ricard in France from 1-3 April

2016 FIA WTCC Official Season Entry List