Pepe Oriola will join the Slovakian Brutal Fish Racing Team for the 2020 TCR Europe season, with the Spaniard racing a Honda Civic Type-R alongside team-mates Dan Lloyd and Martin Ryba.
Oriola has been a regular front-runner in global touring cars for much of the past decade, competing initially in the World Touring Car Championship from 2011, before joining the TCR International Series for the 2015 – 2017 seasons. He placed as the series runner-up in the first season of TCR International in 2015 at the wheel of a SEAT León TCR.
For 2018 Oriola returned to World Touring Cars in WTCR, but he did not return in 2019, instead moving to the TCR Asia series to race a Hyundai i30 N TCR, where finished second five times but failed to secure a win as he was beaten to the title by Germany’s Luca Engstler and ended the year third overall.
Oriola also competed in the China Touring Car Championship last year, becoming a race winner, whilst he was victorious in the TCR Spa 500 endurance event in May 2019.
Joining both the Honda Racing family and Brutal Fish for the first time in 2020, Oriola will be part of the Slovakian team’s strongest-ever line-up in TCR Europe.
“I’m delighted to join Brutal Fish Racing Team for TCR Europe and to race the Honda Civic Type R,” said Oriola, 25. “The calendar and the level of the championship is amazing and I have to thank the team for their trust in me.
“I’m sure with Daniel and Martin we can achieve our goal, which is to fight for the title. After the global pandemic we all have been through, to be in such a professional team and championship for 2020 is an honour.
“I’m sure with my team-mates’ speed and experience, combined with my own, we will have a strong package.”
Team Principal Ryba hopes that both Oriola and Lloyd can help the team to fight for the 2020 title.
“As we promised, here we are with our third driver; and what a fantastic addition to our team,” added Ryba. “We are so happy to welcome Pepe to our Brutal Fish family.
“We know he is super-fast and competitive, has a lot of experience in TCR cars and will fit in very well after we became good friends last year.
“Even with the Coronavirus pandemic causing the season to be shortened, I think we will have a very good campaign.
“With Pepe and Daniel, we are ready to fight for the both the Teams’ and Drivers’ titles.”