During their meeting held last week in Monaco, the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) approved the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship calendar, motorsport.com has reported.

The series will start at Curitiba, Brazil, on March 2 and will come to an end at the Grand Prix of Macau on November 16.

Macanese Rodolfo Avila at Macau GP 2007

The only change compared to the first draft approved by the WMSC last October concerns the Portuguese meeting at Estoril, that has been moved back one week from July 6 to 13. The change was made in order to avoid the clash with the Formula One British Grand Prix that will take place in Silverstone on July 6th.

Priaulx Crowned
Andy Priaulx has been officially named FIA World Touring Car Champion for the third year during the traditional FIA prize giving gala in Monaco.

In the sumptuous setting of the Sporting d’Ete’s Salle des Etoiles, the FIA honoured all its champions. In a progression from Karting to Formula 1, the FIA World Touring Car Championship’s prize giving took place between those of the FIA GT and the World Rally Championship.

On the stage, where the BMW Team UK winning car was exhibited, the first three drivers classified — Andy Priaulx, Yvan Muller and James Thompson — received their trophies, while BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen collected the Manufacturers’ champion trophy.

At the end of the ceremony Priaulx joined His Higness Prince Albert of Monaco, the FIA President Max Mosley and his fellow world champions Kimi Raikkonen (Formula One) and Sebastien Loeb (World Rally Championship) and all the others FIA 2007 champions for the traditional group picture.