SuperTouringSeries’ new teams to defer entry to 2015

The SuperTouringSeries, which is taking over from the International Superstars Series due to a change in promoter from 2014, is set to begin in earnest in 2015 with its “League of teams” concept, which has attracted interest from major motorsport operations including Carlin Motorsport, Fortec Motorsport, Triple Eight Race Engineering, Equipe Verschuur, ROAL Motorsport, Reiter Engineering, Team Alstare, MTM, Maurer Motorsport and Swiss Team, though the series may still run a reduced format for the 2014 season.

The International Superstars Series, won by Gianni Morbidelli last season for a fourth time, had strong plans for 2014, but then suddenly announced in November that SWR, the current organisers, would no longer be running the series from next season and a new promoter would need to be found.

Daniele Audetto’s Pan Asia Racing Enterprise Ltd. (PARE) stepped in, announcing it would run the series at the beginning of this month, but it’s now been confirmed that the late change of ownership will mean the series, which is to be rebranded as the SuperTouringSeries, will potentially miss 2014 if an acceptable number of entries can’t be found, and focus its efforts on 2015.

“Given the tight schedule and the upcoming release on the market of new models which will replace the current ones in the upper range, the majority of the teams have confirmed the intention to participate in the Championship next season. Therefore, the start of the “League” will be postponed to 2015,” said Audetto.

“However, for 2014 we are evaluating to organise the SuperTouringSeries with a standard programme, without the League concept, together with the teams who have been asked to guarantee the presence of an adequate number of competitive cars in all the races. Should it be decided to proceed this year the Series would be held in Europe at Monza, Mugello, Brno, Portimao, Vallelunga and Paul Ricard.”