BTCC announces '07 calendar.

The provisional calendar for the 2007 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship has been unveiled, with the title once again set to be decided over 30 races spread over ten race meetings.

The season will kick off on the 1 April at Brands Hatch with the second meeting of the season later that month still be announced. The series then heads to the quickest circuit in the UK, Thruxton, for round three on the 6 May before summer visits to Croft, Oulton Park, Donington and Snetterton.

The second Brands Hatch meeting will be on 19 August before the annual trip to North of the border to Scotland for Knockhill. ITV broadcasting commitments for the Rugby World Cup then lead to a gap until mid-October for the season finale back at Thruxton which, as reported earlier this week, will take the place of Mondello Park on the 2007 schedule - the Hampshire venue hosting two rounds in a season for the first time since 1999.

"Our 2007 calendar has been particularly challenging to formulate, but has been devised to avoid as many clashes as possible with other major sporting events, primarily for our television scheduling," series director Alan Gow said. "Hence, for example, the gap between the last two race meetings - to allow for the broadcasting demands of the Rugby World Cup.

"Unfortunately, we will not be returning to Mondello Park in 2007. This is in direct response to the great majority of BTCC teams and support race championships, all of whom felt that their sponsors (and budgets) would be better served if all events were held within the UK.

"With interest in the championship at a far higher level than we have seen for many years, along with the introduction of new cars and regulations, 2007 promises to be another milestone in the long and proud history of the BTCC."

The venue for the second meeting of the season will be announced in due course, with Silverstone - which hosted the Finals Day for the 2006 campaign - the only circuit used this season aside from Mondello to be currently missing from the provisional calendar.

2007 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship calendar (provisional):

1 April Brands Hatch *22 April TBA6 May Thruxton3 June Croft24 June Oulton Park * 15 July Donington Park *29 July Snetterton19 August Brands Hatch *2 September Knockhill14 October Thruxton

* - Layouts to be used for Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Donington Park to be announced at a later date