WTCC to go ‘green’ in 2009

The World Touring Car Championship is to run solely on bio-fuels from 2009 after the FIA World Motor Sport Council gave its unanimous support to the initiative to make the WTCC a ‘green' series.

The series will introduce bio-ethanol – which has already been pioneered in the British Touring Car Championship in recent seasons – alongside petrol and diesel in 2008 before switching exclusively to bio-fuels in 2009.

All stakeholders involved in the WTCC, including car manufacturers and sponsors, will take part in the development program leading up to the switch, which will include analyzing the different bio-fuels currently available on the market. The aim of that analysis will be to identify the best possible alternative bio-fuel source possible, which will then be submitted to the FIA technical department for final approval. With the close relationship between touring cars and their road-going equivalents we believe that the WTCC is the logical platform to raise public awareness of bio fuels," Jacques Behar, chairman and CEO of championship promoter KSO, said. “Alternative fuels will also play a major role in motor sport's future and it is our goal to be at the forefront of this technology."