WTCC promoter KSO and Yokohama, the championship’s tyre supplier, have confirmed that independent drivers will compete again for a euro 384,000 prize money during the 2009 season.

The prize money will be awarded to the drivers entered in the Yokohama Independents’ Trophy. At each of the season’s twelve race meetings, a total of euro 32,000 will be awarded to the top six Independent drivers, classified by adding together the points obtained in the two races:

• to the first driver: euro 12,000

• to the second driver: euro 8,000

• to the third driver: euro 5,000

• to the fourth driver: euro 3,000

• to the fifth driver: euro 2,000

• to the sixth driver: euro 2,000

The point scoring system will be the same as the WTCC: 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 points to the first eight drivers classified; however, double points will be awarded in the two races of the final meeting at Macau.

From this year, one additional point will be awarded to drivers setting the Independents’ pole position and fastest lap at each round. Three additional points will be also awarded for each point scored in the WTCC overall classification.

Previous winners were Wiechers-Sport’s Marc Hennerici (BMW 320i) in 2005, GR Asia’s Tom Coronel (SEAT León) in 2006, Wiechers-Sport’s Stefano D’Aste (BMW 320si) in 2007 and Proteam Motorsport’s Sergio Hernández (BMW 320si) last year.