Touring car hot shots aiming for Gold in Valencia
Touring car aces from across the globe are set to descend upon Spain to chase gold medal glory in TCR machinery at the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games.
Set to be held from October 23-27 in Valencia, the Touring Car category will be one of the headline gold medal battles to be contested at Circuit Ricardo Tormo.
One of the original categories from the debut edition of the FIA Motorsport Games in Rome in 2019, Touring Cars continued to be a fan favorite in Marseille in 2022, where Dutch ace Tom Coronel took home the gold medal aboard his Audi RS 3 LMS TCR.
The TCR Touring Car class has grown dramatically since its debut in 2015. All cars are front-wheel drive machines based on four or five-door production vehicles and powered by 1.75—to 2.0-litre turbocharged engines.
A total of 16 different manufacturers are represented in TCR competition around the world. The headline series for the category is the KUMHO FIA TCR World Tour, but other key competitions are contested across Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Oceania.
TCR cars also compete in other major series across the globe, including the Michelin Pilot Challenge in the US, Super Taikyu in Japan, the international 24H Series as well as major races at the Nürburgring.
Team Belgium’s Gilles Magnus won the qualifying race at the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games but suffered a mechanical issue on lap two of the gold medal battle. Coronel took home the victory for Team Netherlands ahead of Team Spain’s Isidro Callejas Gomez and Team Ireland’s Jack Young in third.
“In TCR, we have an established customer-racing platform that is a perfect fit for an event such as the FIA Motorsport Games,” said Alan Gow, president of the FIA Touring Car Commission.
“These cars race literally on every single weekend of the year in different places around the world, and this is something that should translate into a strong and diverse entry list.
“Touring Car was one of the FIA Motorsport Games’ founding disciplines at the inaugural edition held back in 2019, and today, with the FIA Motorsport Games now being a much-expanded event, it still has what it takes to be one of the highlights of the event this October in Valencia.”
The 2022 FIA Motorsport Games Touring Car field not only featured established stars, as several young drivers used the event as a springboard for their international careers.
Team Argentina’s Ignacio Montenegro drove a TCR car for the first time at Paul Ricard in 2022, a debut in the category that led to championship success and further opportunities on the international stage.
“My career started in the TCR category at the FIA Motorsport Games at Paul Ricard in 2022, I remember my car was completely covered in the Argentinian flag, which was a really beautiful thing,” Montenegro said.
“I started to learn to race the TCR category from this moment, and in 2023, that allowed me to do my first full season in TCR South America, where I won the championship.
“That’s then given me the opportunity to race this year in Europe. So thanks to the FIA Motorsport Games and TCR, I’m here in Europe living my dream, and it’s been my dream since I was a kid to race in Europe in touring cars and motorsport.”
Montenegro was certainly a fast learner in Marseille – finishing just outside the medals in fourth place in the Gold Medal race.
“We are very proud that TCR is part of the FIA Motorsport Games once again, confirming its status as the most popular Touring Car category worldwide,” said Marcello Lotti, WSC President and Chief Executive of the KUMHO FIA TCR World Tour.
“It’s easy to predict that TCR cars will deliver a thrilling show in Valencia just like they did in the two previous editions at Vallelunga and Circuit Paul Ricard.”
The dedicated FIA registration platform for competitors to enter the 2024 FIA Motorsport Games remains open until 23 September.
Competitors wishing to represent their country are encouraged to contact their respective National Sporting Authorities, a complete list of which can be found by CLICKING HERE.
