Japan and Mexico will both figure on the calendar for the 2008 World Touring Car Championship season - with the former making its first appearance on the schedule.

The Mexican race will take place at a circuit still to be announced in April, while the Japanese event is scheduled to take place in either late October or early November at Okayama - the date for the race having yet to be finalised.

Portugal will also host a race at Estoril during the summer as the former Grand Prix circuit makes its maiden appearance on the calendar, with the race set to be shared by Estoril and the Porto street circuit in alternate years.

The season itself will kick off with two fly-away races, first up in Brazil at Curitiba followed by the Mexican race.

The first European race is slated to take place in Valencia although that could yet change with the possibility that the Spanish event will swap places with the Great Britain round later in the season.

Pau will once again host the French round before Brno in the Czech Republic and Estoril headline the summer, with Anderstop in Sweden maintaining its place on the calendar after a successful - if somewhat wet - first appearance this season.

Oschersleben in August will be followed by Brands Hatch (if there is no swap with Spain) before the European season comes to an end at Monza.

The new Japanese meeting and Macau will then conclude the season, which features twelve meetings and 24 races - although there is no place for the Netherlands, which loses its round after just one season.

2008 World Touring Car Championship calendar - PROVISIONAL:

2 March Brazil Curitiba
6 April Mexico TBA
18 May Spain Valencia
1 June France Pau
15 June Czech Republic Brno
6 July Portugal Estoril
27 July Sweden Anderstop
31 August Germany Oschersleben
21 September Great Britain Brands Hatch
5 October Italy Monza
26 October/2 November Japan Okayama
16 November China Macau