Andreas and Jessica Bäckman have confirmed their continued participation in the TCR Europe series in 2020, with the siblings remaining at Target Competition as part of the Hyundai Motorsport Junior Driver initiative.
The Swedish duo moved up to the TCR Europe series full-time in 2019, having previously raced in both TCR Scandinavia and TCR UK in 2018.
Both drivers impressed in their first year in the series, with Andreas remaining in title contention for much of the year, claiming one win in Barcelona on his way to fourth overall in the drivers’ standings.
Jessica scored a first podium at the Hockenheimring and ended the year 19th overall in the championship.
Jessica, 22, also competed in two rounds of TCR Germany, claiming another podium at the Hockenheimring, one round of TCR Scandinavia at Anderstorp, again taking a podium, and she represented Sweden at the inaugural FIA Motorsport Games, where she was sixth overall.
Alongside Australian Will Brown and Hungarian Dániel Nagy, the Bäckmans will also remain as part of the Hyundai Motorsport Junior Driver initiative for a second successive season.
“It feels super exciting to be one of the few chosen racing drivers for the Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing Junior Driver initiative once again,” said Andreas.
“We are truly honoured that Hyundai Motorsport keeps believing in us and we will do everything we can to make this year the best so far.”
Jessica added that the goal of the siblings is to progress eventually to the FIA World Touring Car Cup, following in the footsteps of previous Junior Driver programme member Luca Engstler, who this year has a factory-backed WTCR drive.
“The opportunity also gives us the best possible conditions in order to develop as drivers and eventually reach our goal: to compete in FIA WTCR against the best touring car drivers in the world,” added Jessica.
Drivers on the Hyundai Motorsport Junior Driver programme receive engineers’ support from the Customer Racing department as well as receiving mentoring from the current WTCR drivers in order to help them improve their on-track performance.
The scheme also includes support off the track, including individual feedback in order to build a professional profile which are essential to reach a professional future motorsport career in FIA WTCR.