Green light for the Trofeo Abarth Selenia Europa

The meeting in France, like most of those which follow, is included on the WTCC platform and involves the official qualifying trials on Saturday and two races: the first on the same day and the second on Sunday afternoon.

The event marks the début for the new Abarth 695 Assetto Corse Evoluzione cars, which are ready to compete alongside the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse and the Abarth 695 Assetto Corse cars.

The Trofeo Abarth Europa is taking a big leap this year in terms of visibility with highlights of all race weekends to be broadcast on Eurosport and Eurosport 2.

The 2014 season consists of six events scheduled in some of the biggest circuits in Europe. After Le Castellet, the caravan moves on to Austria at Salzburg on May 25, then Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on June 22, Mugello on July 13, Pergusa on September 28 and Monza on October 26.

Driving some of the new Abarth 695 Assetto Corse Evoluzione cars - one of the most technologically advanced and highest performing racing cars - will be many drivers from previous editions of the championship.

Among them is reigning champion Alex Campani, who will represent Italian colours along with Luca Anselmi, Eric Scalvini, Jonathan Giacon, Manuel Buffoli and Emanuele Moncini, last year's winner from the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse cars who switched to the Abarth 695 Assetto Corse Evoluzione this year. Standing out among the foreign contingent are the Portuguese Jorge Rodrigues and the Swede Niklas Lilja.