The expanded TCR Europe series and the third season of the TCR Benelux series will share five events in the 2018 season, allowing a seventh TCR Europe event to be added at Zandvoort in May.
The TCR Europe series had originally been announced with a six-event calendar for next year, but the partnership with TCR Benelux now means that a seventh event will be added, resulting in a €2,000 increase to the entry fees to €19,500.
Combined events will be held at Zandvoort in The Netherlands, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, the Hungaroring in Hungary, TT Circuit Assen in The Netherlands and Barcelona in Spain.
“We are delighted to welcome the competitors of TCR Benelux,” said TCR Europe promoter Paulo Ferreira. Together we will be able to make both series grow up quicker and better.
“The Belgian and Dutch drivers have already proved how good they are in Touring Cars and the confrontation between them and their colleagues in TCR Europe will produce some fantastic races.”
Xavier Schene, General Director of RACB Sport added: “To race together with TCR Europe in our five events will provide the TCR Benelux competitors with the opportunity of being part of an impressive grid, while racing for their own classification at the same time. The teams and drivers are all enthusiastic about this significant evolution.”
Vice President of KNAF, the Dutch National Motorsport Federation, Hans Hugenholtz, believes that the combined calendar will incentivise drivers from the region to complete full seasons in both championships.
“The great benefit for the TCR Benelux competitors is that they will also score points for TCR Europe,” added Hugenholtz. “As a result, why not compete for both titles?
“We are also delighted to see that the calendar includes two of the best Dutch racing events. This is important for our teams and drivers who have invested in TCR in the last two years.”
The only two TCR Europe series events not held in conjunction with TCR Benelux will be Le Castellet in France in May and Monza in Italy in September.