Paul Ricard wants to host WTCC round in 2014

Paul Ricard boss Stephane Clair told AUTOSPORT, which reported the venue's interest in holding an event last week, that he was aiming to bring the WTCC back to France for the first time since 2009 with a race in the spring.

"We are working on a WTCC race," he said. "The WTCC will be very important in France next year with Sebastien Loeb and Yvan Muller racing for Citroen.

"It would be a nice meeting for us to open the season with."

It is understood that the Paul Ricard event could potentially be next year's WTCC opener in place of Monza, which has filled that berth for the past two years.

Citroen is known to be pushing for a French race, and WTCC boss Marcello Lotti confirmed the championship's interest in Paul Ricard.

"For sure though it would be clear and logical to have a French round," he said.

Spa could also be in line for a WTCC return for the first time since the inaugural year of the series in 2005.

The Belgian venue could take the place of the Porto street race in Portugal, which is run on a biannual basis.

Lotti stressed that any new races would replace existing events because he intends to maintain the calendar at 12 round in 2014.

He explained that the provisional calendar had been compromised by Formula 1's planned 22-round schedule, adding: "At the moment we cannot be sure of anything.

"We are concentrating on changing Japan and China because of F1, so we will know in the coming weeks."