The globe-trotting TCR World Tour is set to expand in 2024 with touring car supremo Marcello Lotti confirming preliminary plans for a new-look calendar.
This year marked the first season of the TCR World Tour after the demise of the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR), which began in 2018 and folded in 2022 after promoter Discovery Sports Events pulled up stumps.
The series, which was largely rooted in Europe, was scrapped and replaced by the TCR World Tour.
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In its inaugural season, the tour visited four European countries; Portugal, Belgium, Italy, and Hungary.
Lotti confirmed next year's calendar will feature just one event in Europe with new events in North America, Africa, and Asia.
A handful of circuits have been confirmed, namely the double-header Down Under in Sydney and Bathurst that will form the tail end of the calendar before closing out in Macau.
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Touring car racing will return to Morocco for the first time since 2019 on the streets of Marrakech.
China will also be added to the calendar at an as-yet-to-be-confirmed circuit.
Two candidates in "Central America" are being weighed up and it's expected a decision will be made in the coming weeks. The TCR World Tour visited Argentina earlier this year.
It's understood the TCR World Tour will race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course next year in the United States.
That will mark the first time the USA has hosted an international touring car race since the World Touring Car Championship visited Sonoma Raceway in 2013.
"You will see it is a very ambitious calendar," said WSC Group president Marcello Lotti.
"We believe that there will be big interest also from the local driver."
Added interest from manufacturers
This year's TCR World Tour has so far been contested in full by four manufacturers; Lynk & Co, Audi, Honda, and Hyundai.
Lotti said he's expecting at least one new manufacturer, and potentially two, to commit to contesting next year's World Tour and an uptick in competitors.
Nine drivers have contested the full, nine-round season. The World Tour is capped at 16 entries and Lotti can see that cap being reached.
"At the moment, we believe that we can increase the field with two more brands internationally," said Lotti.
"We believe it will be very easy to reach 12 and probably we go to 16 with the maximum number that we have to plan.
"Like I told you with two brand more, I cannot tell you at the moment the brand."
Cupra has announced a new Leon VZ TCR car and Toyota could conceivably field a pseudo-factory-backed effort with its newly homologated Corolla.
Hybridisation likely to be pushed back
The WSC Group has long sought to add a hybrid element globally.
That has been continually delayed and it looks as if the 2024 target will be missed again.
That's due in part to the hangover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the demise of the World Touring Car Cup, and the rushed effort to get the TCR World Tour off the ground.
In any case, Lotti is keen to see the TCR World Tour race at its destination events alongside the local series on equal footing technically.
"This is something that is under discussion at the moment because we decided to continue to develop," said Lotti.
"Last year we were forced to do the TCR World Tour to try to invent something new. It was impossible," he said of introducing hybrid at the time.
"With the TCR World Tour, we go in different championships. We cannot run with one one time without hybrid and the other with it.
"It's better to have – at least from all the selected events – the same technical regulation in full aspect, also hybrid. And this was our idea at the beginning of last year was – OK, we postponed 2024.
"I want to be 100 percent frank with you, we don't know. I personally don't know if we can introduce (hybrid) from 2024 immediately because at the moment, we're trying to sign three-year agreement with each event promoter.
"After that, we know that we have a calendar that becomes stable. So when we have this, probably it is time to start with hybrids.
"In the meantime, we have pressure from different promoters. They want to start and also some manufacturers want to start as soon as possible. This is because at the moment it is an open discussion, there is two or three points that we have to look at better."
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FIA endorsement looming
The global hybridisation could have an impact on whether the TCR World Tour is endorsed by the FIA.
Talks are underway with world motorsport's governing body to have the TCR World Tour recognised as a world championship.
In any case, the naming convention will remain largely unchanged if such a move happens.
"We are discussing with the FIA for the next season to see if we can find an agreement between WSC and FIA to be an FIA TCR World Tour title," Lotti explained.
"The FIA, clearly their target is also to go more environmental. Hybrid is a good argument for them. Also they want clearly to use this hybrid kit as soon as possible.
"Like I told you with this new calendar for me also, it is a risk to start 2024.
"It's something that frankly speaking, we have several meetings in the first week of December including FIA.
"If everything goes in the right direction and probably at that time, we take a decision."
Lotti reflects on year one
Although one round remains in the inaugural TCR World Tour, Lotti has taken some time to reflect on the first full season.
Although only four teams and nine drivers have committed to the full program in 2023, the Italian promoter said he can't be unhappy with the first season.
"Now we are here and I have to say, yeah, we are happy for what's going on," said Lotti.
"There is a lot of interest for 2024 also. New brand and the new team and I believe that speaking with the other promoter … I believe also local promoters and competitors and teams are happy about the format that the idea because TCR is the same car everywhere, practically the same sporty regulation.
"I have to say, to create an event where there is this connectivity between all of them creates an atmosphere of opportunity to speak together, to share experiences, for the customer team, local customer team to have the opportunity to speak with the chief of manufacturers, not only to be client far away.
"This was one of the key points, to create more links between all the TCR community members. This I think we achieve. Clearly, it was the first year, so probably nobody's can see but there is a lot of things to optimise I want to say. But globally, we are quite happy."
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