Lewis Kent will join the grid of the TCR Europe series at Spa-Francorchamps next weekend, with the TCR UK regular taking his Hyundai i30 N to the grid of the regional series for the first time.
Kent has been racing in TCR UK for the past year, having joined the new series at the start of the 2018 season. Last year he scored two podium finishes in the car run by his Essex & Kent Motorsport outfit.
“I have been looking forward to the Spa event since it was announced that TCR UK was going to join TCR Europe there,” said the 19-year-old. “Since then, TCR UK has been undergoing changes but we as a team were set on joining the grid for that weekend, and hopefully others later in the year depending on how this one goes.
“I have raced at Spa on two previous occasions once in Sports 2000 where I came second out of 42 entries in 2017 and last year in the 24-hour race, so I know the circuit quite well and if I can stay out of trouble hope to do quite well.
“My long-term goals are to race in WTCR and being only 19 I have time on my side. The Spa weekend will show if I have the makings of that class of drivers, and you never know may attract a big sponsor who can assist me in making my ambitions come true.”
Team Manager David Cleal says the team is keeping its expectations modest for its first foray into the European series, which boasts grid sizes of over 30 cars.
“We set up Essex & Kent Motorsport last year with the sole intention of racing in TCR UK, we have been on a steep learning curve and this weekend at Spa will show how far we have come as a team and driver going up against some of the best drivers and teams Europe has to offer.
“We are just a small family-run team who go to Spa with the aim of winning, but in all honesty if we come away with a top twenty finish I believe we have had a great result and will show other teams sitting on the side lines in the UK that TCR is a way forward.”