The latest meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council has approved a twelve round schedule for the 2009 World Touring Car Championship season.
The season will once again comprise 24 races with two changes made to the calendar from the current campaign.
Morocco will host an event for the first time on a new street circuit in Marrakech, although the race is subject to homologation of the circuit by the FIA. The Moroccan race takes the place of one of the two Italian rounds, with Imola making way having only been a late addition to the 2008 schedule after the Anderstorp round was cancelled.
The other change sees the Portuguese race go back to the streets of Porto, where the race was held back in 2007. Under the terms of the agreement to run the race, Porto can only host an event every other year.
Because the date of the Belgian Formula One Grand Prix has been moved to August 30, and is now in clash with the WTCC event in Germany, series organisers KSO and the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben are working together to move the meeting to early September.
2009 WTCC Calendar:March 8
Brazil Curitiba
March 22
Mexico Puebla
May 2
Morocco Marrakech *
May 17
France Pau
May 31
Spain Valencia
June 21
Czech Republic Brno
July 5
Portugal Porto *
July 19
Great Britain Brands Hatch
August 30
Germany Oschersleben
October 4
Italy Monza
October 25
Japan Okayama
November 22
Macau Macau
* subject to the FIA homologation of the circuit
