New big names announced for the 2018 WTCR season

Plenty of big names are announced recently for the 2018 WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup season. The biggest names are definitely the 2017 WTCC champion Thed Björk and former four-time WTCC champ Yvan Muller. They will race in Hyundai i30 N TCR cars for Yvan Muller Racing, Muller’s private team which previously competed in sports car races.

The other drivers confirmed for the 2018 WTCR season are Tiago Monteiro and Esteban Guerrieri. They will join WTCR grid in Honda Civic TCR cars with Boutsen Ginion Racing (Monteiro) and ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport (Guerrieri).

Yvan Muller

After serving as a development driver and advisor for Polestar Cyan Racing and participating in one round of the 2017 WTCC season, the four-time world champion Yvan Muller is returning from a semi-retirement to race full season in a new touring car competition. His team Yvan Muller Racing will run two Hyundai i30 N TCR cars for Muller himself and his Volvo teammate and 2017 WTCC champ Thed Björk. While Björk is targeting another world title, Muller has other objectives.

“My goal is a bit different than in the past. I have done my career and my focus now is on the team and our development rather than outright results. I am pleased to have Thed involved, he trusts me and I trust him. There is no doubt that he is a great driver, I know because I spent the season with him last year,” said 48-year-old Muller.

“I am excited to be back for the 2018 season, especially with Yvan. We had a great cooperation last year. To race together with him in the new regulations is truly motivating and inspiring. We have a lot of new things to learn and the competition is hard, but my goal is to win,” said Björk.

After many years with Volvo, Thed Bjork will race with Hyundai in 2018

Another pair of great drivers confirmed today for the 2018 WTCR season are Tiago Monteiro and Esteban Guerrieri. After working together for Honda Racing Team JAS in 2017 WTCC season, they will race again with Honda Civic cars but for two different teams.

Monteiro recovered from injuries which forced him to sit out four last rounds of the 2017 WTCC season and now he’s ready to start in a new championship with Belgian outfit Boutsen Ginion Racing. On the other side, Guerrieri joins ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport. Both teams will benefit from customer support service from JAS Motorsport.

Tiago Monteiro will race with Honda for one more year

“I’m delighted to remain part of the Honda Racing family for another year. 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,” Monteiro said.

Esteban Guerrieri

Esteban Guerrieri said: “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. 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 ALL-INKL.COM Münnich cars 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.”

Photos: Francois Flamand, Alexandre Guillaumot, David Noels, Jean Michel Le Meur/DPPI,