WTCC: Helsinki, Brands on 2006 radar.

Helsinki and Brands Hatch are being mooted as possible additions to next year's World Touring Car Championship calendar, when the series breaks away from its current schedule partner, the FIA GT Championship.

Brands Hatch is attempting to find an world-class car racing event to line-up alongside its regular World Superbike event, while Helsinki is attempting re-establish itself on the international motorsport map having previously staged rounds of the DTM and F3000 championships on a specially-designed street circuit.

"We had a meeting in Oschersleben with Jarno Mahonen, managing director of the WRC round Neste Rally Finland, who is working on a plan to establish a racetrack in the streets of Helsinki," confirmed KSO general manager Marcello Lotti, "At the moment, he is waiting for the authorisation from the local government. If this arrives in time to include Helsinki in the calendar that has to be submitted to the FIA, we'll race there in 2006. Otherwise, it will be postponed to 2007.

As for Brands Hatch, KSO has already had several meetings with circuit owner Jonathan Palmer.

"Negotiations are going on, and I should say that we are getting closer and closer to signing a deal to move our British round to the Brands Hatch grand prix layout," Lotti revealed.

Britain's 2005 round of the WTCC was staged at Silverstone.