A dozen cars will be entered into the first-ever TCR South America event at Interlagos in Brazil this weekend, with four different models on the grid.
A new era begins in Brazil at the weekend, as the first TCR series in South America gets underway, kick-starting a new era of production-based, two-litre touring car racing in the region.
The first of eight events in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, the two races this weekend will further expand TCR’s global reach.
Uniquely for a TCR series, the championship will feature both sprint and endurance races, depending on the event. Six race weekends will feature two sprint races, the first at 55 km and the second at 65 km, where the top ten in qualifying will be reversed on the grid.
At the events at Curitiba and Buenos Aires, a single endurance event of 160 km will be staged, with the cars being shared by two drivers who must be at the wheel for a minimum of 30 minutes each.
The qualifying format will be similar to the FIA World Touring Car Cup, with Q1 consisting of 20 minutes for all drivers, Q2 lasting ten minutes for the top 12 in Q1, and Q3 being a single lap shootout for each of the top five drivers in Q2.
Ten of the 12 drivers have been confirmed, with only the two Hyundai Elantra N cars being run by Scuderia FJ yet to reveal their driver line-up.
Brazilian Rodrigo Baptista comes straight from racing in the inaugural PURE ETCR series at Vallelunga last weekend to mark his second new series in as many weekends as he races an Audi RS3 LMS for Cobra Racing.
Paul Holton will race the PropCar Alfa Romeo Giulietta this weekend, which is to be campaigned for the rest of the season by Roy Block, the Argentine unable to make the season opener due to clashing commitments in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at Watkins Glen in the USA.
The most numerous cars on the grid are the Honda Civic and the Audi RS3, with four cars apiece for the two manufacturers.
The list of 12 cars comes despite the promoter of the new series announcing 35 ‘pre-entries’ having been received in August last year for the new series.
Entry List – 2021 TCR South America
10 – Adalberto Baptista (Cobra Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS)
11 – Paul Holton (PropCar Racing Team, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce)
12 – Márcio Basso (MC Tubarão, Audi RS 3 LMS)
13 – Rodrigo Baptista (Cobra Racing, Audi RS 3 LMS)
16 – Fabio Casagrande (PropCar Racing Team, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce)
25 – Ayrton Chorne (Squadra Martino, Honda Civic Type R FK8)
33 – José Manuel Sapag (Squadra Martino, Honda Civic Type R FK8)
37 – Guilherme Reischl (MC Tubarão, Audi RS 3 LMS)
74 – Pepe Oriola (W2 Racing, Honda Civic Type R FK8)
77 – Raphael Reis (W2 Racing Honda Civic Type R FK8)
TBC – (Scuderia FJ, Hyundai Elantra N)
TBC – (Scuderia FJ, Hyundai Elantra N)