Three drivers have suspended penalties hanging over their heads as the 2006 FIA World Touring Car Championship's European season comes to an end this weekend in Valencia, where rounds 17 and 18 will be raced before the long trip to Macau that will host the final race meeting on November 18.

Andy Priaulx, Gabriele Tarquini, Rickard Rydell and Dirk Müller already carry big weight penalties in Valencia, and now Jörg Müller, Alain Menu and Salvatore Tavano have a sentence hanging over their heads.

The Drivers' Championship is closer than ever, with 11 different race winners so far and nine men covered by only 14 points - from Andy Priaulx (1st with 58) to Peter Terting (9th with 44).

In the Manufacturers' Championship SEAT edge BMW by 9 points, while Chevrolet threaten Alfa Romeo's third position.

Three drivers will run under a suspended penalty in Valencia: Jörg Müller, Alain Menu and Salvatore Tavano.

They all were found guilty of causing avoidable collisions in Istanbul's Race 1 (Jörg with Menu, Menu with Rangoni and Tavano with Gené) and, should they again be involved in similar incidents in Valencia risk a drop of ten positions on the starting grid for Macau's Race 1.