Last-minute deal means Lada could be back on the grid
Although Lada had withdrawn as a manufacturer entry from the World Touring Car Championship, it’s understood that team principal Viktor Shapovalov could get the Vesta TC1s back on the grid this year as a privateer entry.
The team competed as a private entry as Russian Bears Racing in 2008, prior to becoming the Lada factory squad in 2009.
An agreement between the promoter Eurosport Events and Shapovalov is understood to be in place, allowing the team to return to the grid alongside the factory efforts of Honda and Volvo, alongside a number of privateer entries which will run Citroëns and Chevrolets.
Alan Gow, head of the FIA Touring Car Commission, confirmed to TouringCarTimes that the championship will likely field at least the minimum of 16 cars in the TC1 grid for this season, with Lada’s privateer programme considered.
Without financial support from Lada or Russian state-owned oil firm Rosneft, which have moved their focus to running cars in the national Russian Circuit Racing Series, it’s understood the team’s driver line-up will likely not contain front-runners Gabriele Tarquini or Nicky Catsburg, while Hugo Valente’s relationship with the team soured at the end of last year, and he was already set to depart the team.
