BRC Racing Team confirm four-car entry and Lukoil backing
The BRC Racing Team have confirmed ahead of a press launch on Monday that they’ll be running all four Hyundai i30 N TCRs in the 2019 World Touring Car Cup, and have confirmed they’ve secured sponsorship from Russian oil firm Lukoil.
The Italian team won the 2018 WTCR drivers’ title with Gabriele Tarquini, and for the 2019 will expand from two cars to four, adding Nicky Catsburg and Augusto Farfus alongside Norbert Michelisz, with another highly capable line-up.
In a post on their Facebook profile, the Cherasco-based team said: “We will be LIVE on FB on 18/03/2019 (11.30 CET) to show you BRC news for the 2019 season. The event is presented by Matteo Bobbi with the drivers Gabriele Tarquini, Norbert Michelisz, Nick Catsburg and Augusto Farfus.
“With Hyundai Motorsport and Lukoil we are ready to give you another great year: we will start from Marrakech on April 5th, live on Eurosport.”
The announcement confirms the rumoured switch by Lukoil to the Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing-supported squad. Lukoil moves across from WRT, where they sponsored the Audi cars of Gordon Shedden and Jean-Karl Vernay last year, with WRT also supporting their programme in the TCR Russia championship.
The move by Lukoil means the Russian energy giant re-establishes its link with Gabriele Tarquini, whom they supported during the 2011 and 2012 World Touring Car Championship seasons, when the Italian competed as part of a privateer SEAT programme following the Spanish manufacturer’s official withdrawal.
