Photo: TCR

Maxime Potty confirms TCR Europe programme

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Maxime Potty will move into the TCR Europe Series this season after confirming a deal to compete with the Comtoyou Racing team.

The teenager, who finished third in TCR Benelux last season, will drive a Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR with support from the Belgian VW Club as he seeks to launch a bid for the championship title.

Potty has competed at the wheel of a Golf GTI TCR since moving into car racing back in 2016.

“With the entire Comtoyou Racing team, led by Jean-Michel Baert and François Verbist, the support of the Belgian VW Club and Jean-François Hemroulle as my coach, I will be well looked after,” he said. “They are all highly skilled people with experience which will be extremely valuable to me. In addition, I will have the benefit of a completely new Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR, with its 2018 developments.

“As I will have the opportunity to practice beforehand and everything will be done for me to fight for the title, that will be the aim,” he confesses. “The challenge is tough, as the competition will be very sharp, but I don’t want to play a supporting role. It is a major step in my career and I am ready and more motivated than ever.”

Comtoyou boss Jean-Michel Baert was pleased to welcome Potty onboard for the TCR Europe programme, where the team will field a two-car entry.

“Since we launched our team in the VW Fun Cup, to help young drivers to blossom has always been one of the things that drove us,” he said. “Maxime has some amazing qualities! In human terms, he is a great guy and his talent is not in doubt. In addition, he is a hard worker who already has a very professional approach despite his young age. He and those about him have ambition, and it is clear that the aim is be at the top of the rankings.

“With François Verbist and the entire team, we will do all we can to provide the ideal context. He will have the opportunity to perform a great many tests from this week, with two days at the Hungaroring to get to know the new car.

“Since he will be testing broadly at the same time as our WTCR drivers, he will have some great points of reference. And when we are not on track, he can also use our new simulator. More than the result itself, we want to work on how to achieve it. And, hopefully, the results will follow quite naturally.”