*TAG Heuer confirmed as Official Series Partner of WTCR
*Swiss Avant Garde watchmaker behind two major awards
*Most Valuable Driver and Best Lap Trophy up for grabs at all events

An association with Eurosport Events that began in 2016 in support of the FIA World Touring Car Championship has been extended into a third year. In addition to the popular TAG Heuer Best Lap Trophy, the TAG Heuer Most Valuable Driver will deliver a world first for circuit racing.

TAG Heuer Most Valuable Driver (MVD) brings an exciting concept pioneered in US sport to the all-new WTCR. From next month’s season opener in Morocco, TAG Heuer MVD will be contested with the driver scoring the most points over a weekend receiving a prestigious TAG Heuer watch.

The new initiative will be supported by a dedicated video highlighting the winner’s achievement and promoted through the WTCR’s social media channels. The TAG Heuer Most Valuable Driver will also be recognised in WTCR’s live global feed at the completion of each race.

François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, said: “We are very happy to announce the partnership between Eurosport Events and TAG Heuer will continue into a third year. For 2018 it’s more than just a partnership with the launch of the TAG Heuer Most Valuable Driver. It’s a concept that brings massive US sporting disciplines, such as the NBA and NFL, to the race tracks of the world. It’s going to be very exciting watching drivers battle it out over a weekend to be the TAG Heuer MVD.”

WTCR drivers will get four opportunities to score points over a weekend: in the Q3 phase of Second Qualifying, in Race 1, Race 2 and Race 3. A breakdown appears below.

Points allocation (races only, Q3 top five awarded points on a 5-4-3-2-1 scale):

Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team’s Gordon Shedden is no stranger to the three-race-per-weekend format. The Scot is a three-time winner of the British Touring Car Championship, which features three races at each event. “I’ve been used to three races and in a funny kind of way it’s not about the winning, it’s about making the best of your bad days by scoring as many points as possible,” said Shedden, who will race an Audi RS 3 LMS in the WTCR.

TAG Heuer’s support of the WTCR also includes the TAG Heuer Best Lap Trophy, which is presented to the driver setting the fastest lap between weekend’s three races. In addition, TAG Heuer is the Official Timing Partner of the WTCC and benefits from a number of promotional opportunities including trackside bannering and corporate guest programmes.

Marrakech hosts the season-opening WTCR AFRIQUIA Race of Morocco from 7-8 April, the first event of a 10-weekend campaign that takes in nine countries across four continents.