TCR Iberian re-launched as standalone series

TCR Europe series promoter Paulo Ferreira has announced plans to run TCR Ibérico as a standalone series in 2019.

The series ran as a standalone championship in 2017 but was then run as two events alongside the TCR Portugal championship and TCR Europe series this year.

The decision has now been taken to re-launch the series in its own right with a four round calendar that includes two rounds in Spain and two in Portugal.

The series will adopt the same sporting format of TCR Europe series, with two 30-minute free practice sessions, one qualifying session split into Q1 and Q2, and two races of 23-minutes plus one lap.

“There are enough TCR cars between Spain and Portugal to put together a good field,” Ferreira said. “We will award a 60,000 Euro prize money: 30,000 to the overall winner and 30,000 to the winner of the DSG class.

“Payment of the prize money will be bound to the participation in the 2020 TCR Europe Series. We are also evaluating the possibility of giving the last event the status of ‘TCR Nations Cup’.”

2019 TCR Iberian calendar

23/24 March – Barcelona
5/7 July – Vila Real
7/8 September – Navarra
26/27 October – Portimão