WRT to end World Touring Car Cup, TCR Europe programmes

WRT has revealed that it will leave the World Touring Car Cup following the conclusion of the 2019 season this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit.

The Belgian outfit has been part of the grid for the past two seasons, carrying Jean-Karl Vernay to fifth in the standings in 2018. The Frenchman sits tenth in the standings going into the season finale having failed to win this season, with team-mate Gordon Shedden – a race winner last year – currently sitting 24th.

WRT’s decision comes after the Volkswagen Audi Group elected to put its focus onto electrification for its motorsport programme, and with Audi having decided against producing a replacement for the current RS 3 LMS – the car that WRT has campaigned in WTCR for the past two years.

WRT will also no longer compete in TCR Europe, where it ran an Audi and a Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR this season, and will instead focus on its ongoing programmes in both sportscars and the DTM.

“The reason is very simple,” team boss Vincent Vosse told dhnet.be. “After the announcement of VW to focus on the electric future, another brand of the group [Audi] has decided not to be involved in this category.

“We will of course continue our commitment to DTM with Audi. Two new young drivers will be announced this Wednesday and we will intensify our GT programs with reinforced crews.”