The FIA World Touring Car Championship is back from its summer break as the season-closing tour of Asia and the Middle East kicks off in Japan next week when Twin Ring Motegi hosts the all-action WTCC for the first time from 11-13 September.

With the championship fight still a three-way tussle between Citroën trio José María López, the current WTCC pacesetter, Yvan Muller and Sébastien Loeb, JVC KENWOOD WTCC Race of Japan is set to be another highlight of the 2015 campaign when six different drivers have tasted the victory champagne and a total of 11 have stepped onto the podium.

While the bulk of the grid racing in Japan will be familiar to WTCC fans around the world, Nicolas Lapierre will be starting his WTCC adventure at Twin Ring Motegi, which is located 150 kilometres north of the capital Tokyo. The Frenchman will link up with 2012 champion Rob Huff and Nicky Catsburg at LADA.

WTCC Race of Japan takes on added significance for Tiago Monteiro: not only is it his Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team’s home event at a track owned by the motor giant, race one on Sunday 13 September will mark WTCC start number 200 for the Portuguese.

Gabriele Tarquini (Italy) and Hungary’s Norbert Michelisz also form part of the Honda attack. Ma Qing Hua, from China, won last time out in Portugal where fellow Citroën driver Mehdi Bennani was also in action, while Tom Coronel has more WTCC wins in Japan to his name than any other driver having triumphed on three occasions.

Rising French star Hugo Valente, 23, will be racing in memory of his friend Jules Bianchi. Following testing on Friday 11 September, the WTCC drivers will take part in two Free Practice sessions and Qualifying on Saturday ahead of a pair of 13-lap races on Sunday from 14h15hrs local time.

TWIN RING MOTEGI

Lap distance: 4.801km

Race distance: 2 x 13 laps / 62.413km

Location: 120-1 Hiyama, Motegi-machi, Haga-gun, Tochigi Pref. 321-3597, Japan

Press officer: Norifumi Haraguchi, media@mobilityland.co.jp

Airports: Tokyo Narita, 130km. Tokyo Haneda, 156km.

Lap records:

Qualifying: To be established

Race: To be established

WTCC RACE OF JAPAN ROLL OF HONOUR

DID YOU KNOW?

26 October 2008 – Okayama hosts the first WTCC Race of Japan. The event switches to Suzuka in 2011, initially on the shorter East course before making its one and only appearance on the full Grand Prix track in 2014.

26 October 2014 – José María López secures the FIA World Touring Car Championship following another imperious weekend at Suzuka to become the first Argentine motor racing world champion since Juan Manuel Fangio in 1957.

23 January 2015 – Twin Ring Motegi is confirmed as the new home of WTCC Race of Japan. The venue’s name comes from it having two race tracks – a 2.49-kilometre oval and the 4.8 road course the WTCC drivers will race on.

WTCC TIMETABLE

Thursday 10 September

09.15 – 11.30: WTCC driver interview and photo opportunity (Prince Park Tower Hotel, Tokyo)

Friday 11 September

08.00-20.00: Media Accreditation Centre open (Second Floor, Control Tower)

08.00-20.00: Media Centre open (Second Floor, Control Tower)

12.30-13.00: WTCC Testing

13.15 (approx.): Post-Testing press conference (Media Centre).

17.30-18.30: WTCC Happy Hour (Hotel Twin Ring)

Saturday 12 September

08.00-20.00: Media Accreditation Centre open

08.00-20.00: Media Centre open

09.30-10.00: WTCC Free Practice 1

12.00-12.30: WTCC Free Practice 2

13.30-14.00: Autograph session with all WTCC drivers (in front of garages in pit lane)

15.30-15.50: WTCC Qualifying Q1

15.55-16.05: WTCC Qualifying Q2

16.10 (pit lane opens): WTCC Qualifying Q3

16.40 (approx.): WTCC Post-Qualifying press conference (Media Centre)

Sunday 13 September

08.00-12.00: Media Accreditation Centre open

08.00-until the last journalist leaves: Media Centre open

09.30-10.30: Autograph session with all WTCC drivers (in front of garages in pit lane)

11.00-12.00: All WTCC cars on display on grid

13.50: Pit lane open

14.00: Pit lane closed

14.10: Five-minute board displayed

14.15: WTCC Race 1 (13 laps)

14.50 (approx.): WTCC podium race 1

15.00: WTCC refuelling time starts

15.05: WTCC repair time starts

15.10: Pit lane open

15.20: Pit lane closed

15.25: Five-minute board displayed

15.30: WTCC Race 2 (13 laps)

16.10 (approx.): WTCC podium race 2

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

FIA OFFICIALS

Chairman of the Stewards: Silvia Bellot (ESP)

2nd International Steward: Henry Krausz (DOM)

Race Director: Miroslav Bartos (CZE)

Assistant to the Race Director: Rui Marques (PRT)

Medical Delegate: Alain Chantegret (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 RACE OF JAPAN

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