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The WTCC event in Imola will replace the Swedish meeting that was due to take place in Anderstorp on the same weekend and that was cancelled by the FIA following a request from the Swedish National Sporting Authority (SBF), after the Championship and the Event Promoters have failed to reach a commercial agreement. In their statement, the SBF hope for a re-inclusion of the Swedish event in the 2009 calendar.
This change - that has been approved by the Touring Car Commission and must be ratified by the World Motor Sport Council in June - will mark the return of international racing to Imola, more than two years after the last Formula One Grand Prix was held there in April 2006 and twenty-two months after the old racetrack and facilities were demolished. Imola had already hosted twice the FIA Touring Car Championship: the ETCC in 2004 and the WTCC in 2005.

Massimo Cimatti, president of GruppoNorman and Formula Imola said: "Imola is back on track! We are delighted to launch our new motor sport calendar with a world championship event such as the WTCC. This is a major reward for all the efforts we have made in these first months of management of the circuit."
"We are obviously extremely honoured and excited for having the opportunity to play the leading role in what will be remembered as an historical event for motor sport: Imola's re-opening to international racing," echoed Marcello Lotti, general manager of KSO the WTCC promoter.

FIRST LAPS FOR LADA IN ZANDVOORT
Russian Bears Motorsport completed their first tests with the WTCC LADA 110 car on the Dutch racetrack of Zandvoort.
The Russian machine hit the track twice in a few days. On the first occasion Viktor Shapovalov completed only six laps before a visit to the gravel trap prematurely ended this run.
The team returned to Zandvoort last Wednesday, and Shapovalov drove for another 25 laps before handing the controls to his Dutch team-mate Jaap van Lagen who completed a further 7 laps.
No technical failures were reported and the team will take part in next week's two-day WTCC official test at Oschersleben. "The car is running ok, but we need more time to fine tune it," team manager Dmitry Bernikov declared.
LADA are on schedule to make their first appearance in the WTCC at Valencia in three weeks.

OFFICIAL TEST IN OSCHERSLEBEN
Before heading to Valencia, some WTCC teams will take part in a two-day official test at Oschersleben, Germany, next week.
The test will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 6^th and 7^th, in preparation for the championship event that will be hosted by the German track later in the season, on August 30^th and 31^st.
The following teams have confirmed their participation, making a total of eleven cars: BMW Team Germany, BMW Team Italy-Spain, BMW Team UK, Chevrolet, N.technology, SEAT Sport and Russian Bears Motorsport.