NISSAN CANADA - This weekend, the Nissan Micra Cup will host the fifth and sixth rounds of the 2020 season at the International Center of Advanced Racing (Circuit ICAR) in Mirabel, Québec. This marks the first time the Canadian series will host official races at Circuit ICAR since its launch in 2015. In past years, the track – located on the grounds of the Montreal-Mirabel International Airport – has been used by Nissan Canada for pre-season test days and promotional activities.
This Saturday's event at Circuit ICAR will be new in several ways, as it will feature two qualifying sessions and two races held on two different track layouts in a single day. The first race of the event is scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m. on the longer, 3.6-km track. The second race will start at 3:20 p.m. on the short, corner-filled 2-km track.
The Nissan Micra Cup will host its first official races at Circuit ICAR since its launch in 2015.
The Nissan Micra Cup will be the main show this weekend at Circuit ICAR since it was added to the 2020 calendar after the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada was cancelled a few weeks earlier. The 2020 Micra Cup season is set to include eight events, making it the racing series with the most scheduled races this year, in all categories of motorsport in Canada.
In addition to learning two new track layouts, the drivers will also need to deal with the challenges of racing on a new surface, as Circuit ICAR's track is covered in concrete, which will be a contrast to the asphalt-covered tracks at Mont-Tremblant and Calabogie from earlier this season.
In three of the first four races this season, the battle for victory turned into a fierce duel between Kevin King (L&P Apparel / Nissan Gabriel) and Jesse Lazare (PayPal / Motorsports In Action). However, the races held in Calabogie at the end of August proved how dedicated young Ontario rookies Gavin Sanders and Justin Di Benedetto are to the fight for victory. Let's not forget Québec's Valérie Limoges, who has already claimed a spot on the podium three times out of four races so far this year.
After winning all four races so far in the 2020 season, Kevin King sits on top of the point standings. However, several strong competitors including Lazare, Limoges, Sanders and Di Benedetto will be doing everything possible to put an end to King's domination this weekend.
More than 20 drivers are entered for the event this weekend. Among them – nine rookies, most of who are fresh out of karting and use the Nissan Micra Cup as a perfect springboard to make their debut into the closed car racing scene – at a very affordable cost. Ten drivers are entered in the senior class, which is for those ages 40 and above. At the mid-season mark, Éric Chaput is the points leader in the senior class and is looking for a second consecutive victory against his main rivals for the title, Sylvain Ouellet and Frédéric Bernier.
Although spectators will not be at the track this weekend, fans have several ways to follow the action on the Nissan Micra Cup's social media. Both rounds at Circuit ICAR will be featured on television as part of a series and will be broadcasted this fall on Réseau Des Sports (RDS).
Micra Cup competitors will be able to do many practice sessions during the official test day on Friday. Saturday will begin at 8 a.m. with a 20-minute free practice. Nissan Micra Cup drivers will then be back on the track four times during the day. There will be two qualification sessions in the morning followed by two races in the afternoon. The first race will start at 1:15 p.m. and the second race will begin at 3:20 p.m..
To follow the Nissan Micra Cup:
Facebook: Nissan Micra Cup
Instagram: @nissanmicracup
Twitter: @MicraCup
YouTube: MicraCupTV
Nissan Micra Cup track schedule this weekend:
| Open practice organized by ICAR: | Friday, September 11, from 8 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. (long track) |
| Free practice: | Saturday, September 12, from 8:10 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. (long track) |
| Qualification for Race 1: | Saturday, September 12, from 9:35 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. (long track) |
| Qualification for Race 2: | Saturday, September 12, from 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. (short track) |
| Race 1: | Saturday, September 12, from 1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. (long track) |
| Race 2: | aturday, September 12, from 3:20 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (short track) |
Nissan Micra Cup 2020 season schedule:
| July 24-26: | Summer Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec |
| August 28-30: | ICAR Circuit, Mirabel, Québec |
| September 11-12: | ICAR Circuit, Mirabel, Québec |
| September 25-27: | Fall Classic, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, Québec |