French duo Grégory Guilvert and Jimmy Clairet will race the new-to-TCR Peugeot 308 cars for Sébastien Loeb Racing in the TCR International Series at Spa-Francorchamps next weekend.
The French team announced their participation in the TCR race in Belgium a week ago, having been entrusted to enter the cars by Peugeot Sport.
“We are proud that Peugeot Sport has entrusted the two cars to our team for their maiden appearance in the TCR International Series,” said the team’s Sproting Director Franck Tiné. “We are happy to take this responsibility, as our team is ambitious and always looking for delivering the best performance.
“Thanks to Peugeot Sport we may count on the experience of Guilvert who has developed the car. As for Clairet, he’s a young and fast driver, and very motivated. We have a strong pair of drivers that will help us to make a good job.”
Guilvert in particular has extensive experience of racing cars for the French manufacturer, having participated in the development of the RCZ Racing Cup, the 208 T16 Pikes Peak and recently the 308 Racing Cup, from which the car being entered in the TCR series originates.
“As test driver of the 308 Racing Cup I am thrilled to drive the car in an actual race meeting,” said 34-year-old Guilvert. “We have to face a unique racetrack and a top-level championship, which makes me approach this task humbly, but with a lot of motivation because I very much wish to show the potential of the car in both, performance and reliability.”
Clairet competed in the 208 Racing Cup in 2013, which was only his first season of racing. Since then he finished as runner-up in 2014, behind brother Teddy, before moving into the French Renault Clio Cup in 2015, where he finished sixth overall.
“I am excited by the opportunity of driving the 308 Racing Cup,” added Clairet. “Especially because it is a car entrusted directly by Peugeot Sport to Sébastien Loeb Racing.
“This is a prestigious step in my racing career. I can’t wait to race at Spa and I will do my very best to achieve a good result.”