Brazilian Thiago Vivacqua will compete in a full season of TCR South America in 2024, racing a Toyota Corolla GRS TCR for Cobra Racing Team.
Vivacqua made his first foray into TCR last year when he took part in the series’ endurance race at Interlagos. Partnering Diego Nunes in one of the team’s Toyotas, Vivacqua helped his team-mate to a creditable ninth in the race, having earlier qualified in seventh.
The 27-year-old has previously competed in single-seaters, making his car racing début in Formula Renault in 2013, staying in open-wheeled motorsport until 2017.
In 2019 he explored GT racing in the GT Cup Open, before taking a hiatus from racing. Returning in 2022, Vivacqua tackled a full season of the DTM Trophy in Europe, finishing fourth overall in an Audi R8.
He only had sporadic outings in 2023, including his one-off TCR appearance.
“I am very excited,” said Vivacqua. “It will be a new adventure for me – front-wheel drive cars will be something new, although I have already done a race at Interlagos with the same model.
“I see my arrival in TCR as a great opportunity for me. It is a concept that is growing both in Brazil and on the continent and also has global visibility.
“The championship also allows the possibility of competing in the FIA TCR World Tour, opening a range of possibilities within the concept.
“The car is new to the TCR scene, it was recently launched. I know the team and Nonô [Flávio Figueiredo] since the opportunity I had to compete with them in the endurance stage last year.
“I thank all the sponsors for the opportunity to compete this year.”
Team Principal Flávio Figueiredo believes that Vivacqua is the ideal fit for his team, which has competed in the series since the very beginning.
“Thiago fits perfectly into the profile of the driver we are looking for,” added Figueiredo. “Despite being young, he already has good experience – he showed it to us at Interlagos last year and in other categories.
“He has the talent to compete with the best on the grid. I see him hungry to win and working to achieve it.”