The most wide-open FIA World Touring Car Championship season in a decade will go down to the wire in the Middle East next week (30 November-1 December) when three coveted titles are decided at Qatar’s spectacular floodlit showdown.

After 18 races over nine weekends in four continents, it all comes down to the duel in the desert when the FIA World Touring Car Championship for Drivers and Manufacturers, plus the WTCC Trophy for independent racers are settled.

The third WTCC Race of Qatar will conclude a thrilling year of high-speed action and intense competition with 10 drivers having taken race wins and seven still in mathematical contention for the overall crown prior to some classic Friday night fever touring car style.

However, with 6.5 points separating the title top two, Polestar Cyan Racing’s Thed Björk and Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team’s Norbert Michelisz, Volvo Polestar 12.5 points in front of Honda and Tom Chilton a mere half a point ahead of Mehdi Bennani in the WTCC Trophy and Rob Huff only seven points behind Chilton, the 2017 season closer at the Losail International Circuit will be the ultimate winner-takes-all battle.

Who’s in contention? 

With 60 points up for grabs, Thed Björk (255.5 points), Norbert Michelisz (249), Mehdi Bennani (216), Nicky Catsburg (211.5), Tom Chilton (210.5) and Esteban Guerrieri (205) can all take world title glory for the first time.

Tiago Monteiro’s total of 200 would also have been enough to keep him in the fight but the Portuguese will be in Qatar in a supporting role only while he continues his recovery from injuries sustained in a testing crash in September.