W2 Pro GP, the team which won the drivers’ and teams’ titles in the inaugural TCR south America season, has announced that it will switch to running a pair of CUPRA Leon Competición cars for 2022.
The team ran Pepe Oriola and Raphael Reis in a pair of Honda Civic Type-R cars in 2021, with Oriola going on to win the title and claim four victories, whilst Reis was third overall with one win to his name.
Team Directors Serafín Junior and and Duda Pamplona recently travelled to Catalunya in Spain to negotiate the deal with CUPRA Racing for the new cars.
It will mark the first appearance of the CUPRA brand in South America, and will also be a first for the CUPRA / SEAT brand in the region.
Reis has been confirmed as one of the drivers in the new cars, with the Brazilian taking on a second season in the series.
The cars are expected to arrive in Brazil in early March, with testing then taking place ahead of the season opener the following month.
“We have been closely following the expansion of the TCR platform around the world and are excited about the level of competition from TCR south America in its inaugural season,” said Head of CUPRA Racing Xavi Serra.
“W2 Pro GP showed on the track that it is one of the strong points of the championship and it will surely fight again for victories and titles.
“CUPRA could not have had a better opportunity to join the event.”
Pamplona is confident of achieving success with the new cars for the second season of the championship.
“CUPRA was the champion of Europe and Sweden, and won several important victories throughout 2021, including in WTCR,” said Pamplona.
“We are sure that the car will perform very well on the tracks in Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.”