Honda Racing is delighted today to confirm an ultra-strong four-driver line-up for the new WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup season.
Esteban Guerrieri, Nestor Girolami, Tiago Monteiro and Attila Tassi will form a formidable four-driver line-up in a fleet of Civic Type R TCRs, just as they did last year.
The customer racing teams that each driver will represent in 2020 will be announced at a later date.
Esteban, 34, enjoyed his best World Touring Car season to date last year. Competing for ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, the Argentinian winning four times on his way to second place in the end-of-season standings.
His countryman Nestor, 30, added three victories of his own, and became the first driver in the WTCR to secure back-to-back victories at the early-season Race of Hungary; the pair helping their squad to third place in the Teams’ Championship.
After missing most of 2018 through injury, Tiago, 43, had his first full year of WTCR competition last year with KCMG; the Portuguese driver’s highlights being victory on home soil on the streets of Vila Real and pole position for Honda’s home event at Suzuka.
His 2019 team-mate Attila Tassi also returns for another season as a member of the Honda Racing Family. The 20-year-old Hungarian became the WTCR’s youngest polesitter in Portugal and secured a best race finish of fourth.
The WTCR gets underway on the streets of Marrakech, Morocco, on April 4 and comprises 10 events with the climax once again at Sepang, Malaysia. Highlights include the fearsome Macau Guia Circuit and the Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Esteban Guerrieri said: “After a fantastic season in 2019, I’m so excited to be staying with Honda in 2020 and really feel we can push for the title, that we so narrowly missed out on, once again. The Civic Type R TCR is a fantastic car in so many ways and I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel for testing.”
Nestor Girolami said: “Three wins was honestly more than I was expecting in 2019 and it’s a great place from which to start my preparations for 2020. Last year I really enjoyed my season as team-mate to Esteban and I’m sure that I can be even more competitive going forwards and fight for the championship myself and for my team.”
Tiago Monteiro said: “This will be my eighth full season as a Honda Racing driver and I couldn’t be happier to extend my relationship. My comeback year in 2019 was tough as the level of competition was higher than it’s ever been in World Touring Cars and we all had to get fully up-to-speed very quickly. The win in Portugal and the pole position in Japan were some of the best feelings I’ve ever had in a racing car and I’m keen to add more successes this season and fight for the world title.”
Attila Tassi said: “I’m very pleased to continue as a Honda Racing driver in the WTCR in 2020. I had some very good moments in my rookie season, like my pole position in Portugal and the Nurburgring event where we had podium-pace. If we can avoid some of the bad luck that happened – especially on the first laps of some of the late-season races – then I think I can take a big step forwards.”
