Monteiro, Guerrieri sign up for Honda WTCR programmes
Tiago Monteiro and Esteban Guerrieri have been announced as the first drivers to sign up with Honda outfits in the new World Touring Car Cup.
Pole position for Esteban Guerrieri, Honda Racing Team JAS, Honda Civic WTCC with Tiago Monteiro, Honda Racing Team JAS, Honda Civic WTCC
FIA WTCC
Ex-Formula 1 driver Monteiro raced for the Honda World Touring Car Championship squad from its initial entry in the championship at the end of the 2012 season, and led the standings last year before a testing crash at Barcelona ended his season.
The Portuguese was back in the WTCC paddock for the final round of the season in Qatar and has since returned to driving his personal car.
He will drive for the Boutsen Ginion team, which has already announced it will run two new Honda Civic FK8 Type R TCRs in the new WTCR world cup.
Monteiro drove for the Belgian outfit in the TCR Benelux Series in 2016, winning a race in the previous generation Civic, and also won the Macau Guia Race that year at the wheel of a West Coast Racing Civic.
“I’m delighted to remain part of the Honda Racing family for another year," said Monteiro.
"Since I first worked with Honda in 2012, I feel we’ve been getting stronger and stronger by the season and by last year we were in a very good place to win the championship before my accident.
"The past six months have been incredibly tough, but thanks to some amazing support I’m now well on my way to getting back in a racing car.
"Boutsen Ginion Racing are a strong team, who I’ve won races with in TCR before, so I can’t wait to drive the car and for the season to start.”
Guerrieri starred in the WTCC last year, winning two races in a Campos Racing Chevrolet Cruze before taking Monteiro's place at the factory Honda outfit for the final three rounds of the season.
The former Formula Renault 3.5 and Indy Lights frontrunner also raced in the Argentinian Super TC2000 series last season but has stepped away from a programme with Citroen for 2018.
Munnich Motorsport will now run Guerrieri after also committing to a Honda programme.
“I felt like last year was a real breakthrough year for me in world touring cars, so I’m extremely pleased to be racing a Honda Civic in 2018," said Guerrieri.
"TCR is the fastest-growing touring car category in the world and I’m incredibly excited to be a part of this programme.
"I had some great races against the Munnich Motorsport car in the WTCC last year and it’s clear they can run a very fast machine, so I’m optimistic of putting together a title challenge.”
Both outfits will receive technical support through Honda's partner JAS Motorsport, which designed and manufactured the Japanese marque's WTCC and TCR challengers.
2018 WTCR grid so far:
Team | Drivers |
---|---|
Comtoyou Racing (Audi) |
Aurelien Panis Denis Dupont |
BRC Racing (Hyundai) |
Norbert Michelisz Gabriele Tarquini |
Sebastien Loeb Racing (VW) |
Rob Huff Mehdi Bennani |
Boutsen Ginion (Honda) | Tiago Monteiro |
Munnich Motorsport (Honda) | Esteban Guerrieri |
Romeo Ferraris (Alfa Romeo) | TBA |
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