WTCR’s second season kicks off in Morocco

Expectations are high for the second season of the WTCR - FIA World Touring Car Cup that kicks off this weekend in Marrakech.
An impressive field of 26 top-level drivers, at the wheel of cars from seven different brands, promises to deliver a fierce battle in the three races on the Moulay El Hassam street circuit.
The motorsport media unanimously agrees in considering the 2019 WTCR as one of the peaks in the history of Touring Car competition and no one is wiling to make predictions about the top-seeds for the title fight.
Reigning champion Gabriele Tarquini is eager to defend his title in the BRC Racing Hyundai i30 N, but has to face an array of strong rivals that includes six other World Champions: Yvan Muller, returnee Andy Priaulx, Rob Huff, Thed Björk, GT World Cup winner Augusto Farfus and former Rallycross star Johan Kristoffersson.
Among the series newcomers are young guns Mikel Azcona and Attila Tassi, the champion and the fourth classified in the 2018 TCR Europe series.
Curiosity is also aroused by the arrival of Lynk&Co, the first Chinese car manufacturer ever to commit to an international motorsport programme. Its staggering four-car line up under the banner of Cyan Racing makes it very clear that they are there to fight for the title.
Just as in its maiden season, the World Cup will be run over ten events, each of them featuring three races. The points scale has been revised to reward more drivers, but the format remains the same, with one 40-minute Qualifying to determine the grid for Race 1 and a second session split between Q1, Q2 and Q3 for the grid of Race 3; the top ten drivers classified in the second Qualifying will be placed in reverse order on the grid for Race 2.
A thrilling season is about to begin and will come to an end only by mid December at Sepang International Circuit, after visiting some of the world’s most challenging racetracks such as the Hungaroring, Zandvoort, the Nürburgring, Suzuka and Macau.