Michael Verhagen confirmed as second wild card for Zandvoort

Dutch driver Michael Verhagen is the second name confirmed for the Netherlands round of the World Touring Car Cup next weekend, joining Bernhard van Oranje in a second Bas Koeten Racing-run Audi RS 3 LMS.

Verhagen made his TCR debut in 2016, racing a Bas Koeten Racing-run SEAT León TCR at Zandvoort in the TCR Benelux Touring Car Championship, before returning in a Boutsen Ginion Racing-run Honda Civic alongside Tom Coronel at TT Circuit Assen later in the year.

“I have been racing in various touring car championships in both sprint and endurance,” said Verhagen.

“I have done two races in TCR Benelux together with Tom Coronel and also two races in TCR Germany with the Bas Koeten Racing Audi RS 3 with Jaap van Lagen and Rik Breukers in the same team. As Zandvoort is my home track I hope to catch up speed quickly. The competition will be fierce and WTCR is the highest competition in my career so the tension is rising.”

Team principal Bas Koeten added: “Racing our two Audi RS 3 LMS TCR cars in the WTCR at Zandvoort will be a great experience for our team. Having two Dutchmen in our bright orange cars is a nice addition to the strong WTCR field. I am sure the 100,000 fans that are expected will support our orange cars.”