Following the excitement of the Sonoma (US) transfer in August, the fifth and penultimate round in the Maserati Trofeo MC World Series will unfold at the Formula 1 track in Shanghai in China on 2-3 November.

At the 2012 finals held on this circuit last year, Renaud Kuppens celebrated winning the Maserati Trofeo MC World Series. The Belgian swept the board: he took the Overall title, the Trofeo Europa, the award for the most pole positions as well as first place in the Team standings with Konvex Motorsport. This time, with one round still to run (at Abu Dhabi on 13 December), Kuppens is in line to add the 2013 Maserati title to his collection. He is well placed as, at Sonoma, he extended his lead over his closest rival with two wins and a fifth place. Sixty points now separate him from the Dane, Mikkel Mac, in second.

However, the title is not a mathematical certainty with Ragazzi and Simoni, 75 points down, also in the running.

The title chasers will also have to deal with tough competitors in the form of Frenchman Ange Barde, who claimed Race 3 at Sonoma, the Cola/Gobbo duo, Calamia and Venier/Gardelli, looking for their first win of the season. China will also see an exciting group of Asian divers lining up.