WTCR: Wide-open competition in store as race winners pack entry
The 2022 WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup could be the closest yet with all but one of the star drivers signed up for the upcoming title chase a race winner in the series
This hugely exciting prospect will come to life at WTCR Clean Fuels For All Race of France next week (May 7-8) when season five of the all-action series from promoter Discovery Sports Events kicks off.
Administered by the FIA, motorsport’s world governing body, the highly anticipated 2022 WTCR boasts another quality line-up with the all-season entry list full of established racers and upcoming talents who share 62 WTCR race wins and nine FIA World Touring Car titles between them.
Furthermore, five brands, Audi, CUPRA, Honda, Hyundai and Lynk & Co, will be represented through their customer racing departments, while eight teams, all using Goodyear tyres and sustainable fuel from P1 Racing Fuels have signed up in their pursuit of World Touring Car gold.
This is how the WTCR will shape up in 2022:
- ALL-INKL.COM MÜNNICH MOTORSPORT (Germany)
Car: Honda Civic Type R TCR
Drivers: #29 Néstor Girolami (Argentina), #86 Esteban Guerrieri (Argentina)
WTCR race wins: 15 (Girolami 5, Guerrieri 10)
- BRC HYUNDAI N SQUADRA CORSE (Italy)
Car: Hyundai Elantra N TCR
Drivers: #5 Norbert Michelisz (Hungary), #96 Mikel Azcona (Spain)
WTCR race wins: 10 (Michelisz 7, Azcona 3)
- COMTOYOU DHL TEAM AUDI SPORT (Belgium)
Car: Audi RS 3 LMS
Drivers: #17 Nathanaël Berthon (France), #33 Tom Coronel (Netherlands)
WTCR race wins: 2 (Berthon 1, Coronel 1)
- COMTOYOU TEAM AUDI SPORT (Belgium)
Car: Audi RS 3 LMS
Drivers: #16 Gilles Magnus (Belgium), #25 Mehdi Bennani (Morocco)
WTCR race wins: 2 (Bennani 1, Magnus 1)
- CYAN PERFORMANCE LYNK & CO (Sweden)
Car: Lynk & Co 03 TCR
Drivers: #11 Thed Björk (Sweden), #12 Santiago Urrutia (Uruguay), #55 Ma Qing Hua (China)
WTCR race wins: 12 (Björk 8, Ma 1, Urrutia 3)
- CYAN RACING LYNK & CO (Sweden)
Car: Lynk & Co 03 TCR
Drivers: #68 Yann Ehrlacher (France), #100 Yvan Muller (France)
WTCR race wins: 15 (Ehrlaher 7, Muller 8)
- LIQUI MOLY TEAM ENGSTLER (Germany)
Car: Honda Civic Type R TCR
Drivers: #9 Attila Tassi (Hungary), #18 Tiago Monteiro (Portugal)
WTCR race wins: 3 (Monteiro 2, Tassi 1)
- ZENGŐ MOTORSPORT (Hungary)
Car: CUPRA Leon Competición
Drivers: It’s a secret!
WTCR race wins: 3
Total race wins between 2022 WTCR drivers: 62 (and counting)
As well as 16 race winners, 11 nationalities will be represented by the drivers with a further two represented by teams and two more by manufacturers to underline the WTCR’s global appeal.
Entries from wildcard racers will also be accepted at each event. Although they won’t be eligible for overall scores, they can chase podium placings and WTCR Trophy points, providing they don’t receive financial backing from manufacturers.
Jean-Baptiste Ley, WTCR Director, Discovery Sports Events, said: “With 16 full-season drivers having won one WTCR race or more, it’s clear that WTCR 2022 is going to be very wide-open and at a very high level. The ongoing support and participation of the teams and the customer racing departments is one of the key strengths of the WTCR and we admire their commitment and determination to succeed. It all points to another successful and memorable WTCR season and we can’t wait for the action to begin.”
Alan Gow, FIA Touring Car Commission President, said: “Looking at this year’s WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup entry it’s great to see more diversity, with the return of some great international drivers, representing Africa and Asia, to the series. Once again there’s a good mix of established names, most of whom are touring car title winners, alongside a number of up and coming drivers. It’s also reassuring to see the largely unchanged line-up of teams competing in the series, as this gives WTCR the much-needed stability. I’m looking forward to a strong season this year.”