Gilles Magnus will contest a second season in the FIA World Touring Car Cup in 2021, following the announcement that the Royal Belgian Automobile Club (RACB) is to continue backing the youngster.
Magnus switched from racing in TCR Europe to WTCR in 2020, racing an Audi RS3 LMS prepared by Comtoyou Racing to four podium finishes and fifth overall in the drivers’ standings.
Magnus, 21, was one of the most consistent drivers over the course of the season, finishing all races except one and only missing out on the top ten in two further races. He scooped the new WTCR Rookie Driver award in the process after claiming 13 class wins.
Now the Belgian has been rewarded for his performances in 2020 with another year backed by the RACB National Team, as well as getting one of the new-specification Audi RS3 LMS cars for 2021.
“I said after winning the WTCR Rookie Driver award last year that if I get the opportunity to drive again in WTCR I will go for the overall title, but I’m still young and hopefully I have a long career in front of me,” said Magnus.
“WTCR was something I’d dreamed of for so long and being here is something that really changes you in a positive way.
“Being competitive is even better and even how I work with the team I improved a lot. We showed our pace to play in the front and that’s really important.
“I can only be grateful and thankful for this opportunity and support. Without them [RACB] I wouldn’t be here so thanks to these guys, they really do really great things with young Belgian guys like me.
“They give them opportunities, which otherwise they would never have, so thank you is all I can say.”
RACB National Team General Manager Geoffroy Theunis expects Magnus to be challenging even closer to the front in 2021.
“We worked hard to bring Gilles back on the WTCR grid,” said Theunis. “He’s deserved it with his Rookie title and it will be fantastic to see Gilles in the second year when I hope he’ll be one of the frontrunners. It’s a great series for the young guns.”
Magnus will be eligible for the WTCR Junior Driver title in 2021, which is open to drivers under the age of 24 on 1 January 2021 who had not taken part in any WTCR or WTCC events prior to 2019.