Comtoyou Racing will continue competing in the FIA World Touring Car Cup in 2022, again campaigning four Audi RS3 LMS TCR cars, with Nathanaël Berthon, Gilles Magnus and Tom Coronel remaining on board whilst Mehdi Bennani returns to the series.
The announcement means that the Belgian team will stay in WTCR for a fifth consecutive season, once again fielding the new-specification RS3 LMS which was introduced for the 2021 season.
The team already announced it will also field three new Audis in this year’s TCR Europe series, as it once again operates as Audi’s main customer racing outfit.
In 2021, the team was runner-up in the teams’ classification, whilst Frédéric Vervisch, who is not part of the 2022 line-up, was second overall in the drivers’ standings.
Returning to WTCR for the first time since 2019 is Moroccan racer Mehdi Bennani, who actually won the TCR Europe title with Comtoyou Racing in 2019 in an older model Audi.
“I’m truly proud of what my team have achieved since 2017 and not always in easy conditions,” said Team Principal Jean-Michel Baert. “François Verbist has once again managed to bring together a highly competitive line-up, one which is a mix of the official Audi Sport drivers and private ones.
“That was quite a feat, all the more so seeing we did not know the final calendar until a few days ago.
“We hope to be able to return to Asia (South Korea, China and Macau), which taking into account the evolution of the pandemic is far from sure, because I do not know what other solutions the promoter can still find for us.
“Following one year of development we are back for the second season with the new Audi RS 3 LMS, which we have become even better acquainted with during the winter tests.
“Once again, our thanks to Audi Sport, Chris Reinke and Andrea Milocco as also Detlef [Schmidt] for the outstanding collaboration we have enjoyed since the first races in TCR International.
“We are definitely even better prepared than in previous years and we will more than ever be battling it out for both titles!”
Team Manager Francois Verbist says the team has already carried out pre-season testing with positive results.
“Since the beginning of Comtoyou Racing, with Jean Michel, it has been our aim to focus on continuity and loyalty with our drivers and partners,” added Verbist.
“This is why I’m delighted to be present in the WTCR for the fifth consecutive season, with Audi Sport as main partner.
“To be able to continue working with Gilles, Nathanaël and Tom was a logical option. I’m also very happy with our fourth driver, because in 2020 we claimed the title in TCR Europe with Mehdi.
“Our pre-season tests went well and I’m satisfied with the work put in by our technical team and the performances of my four drivers. I cannot wait to start battling it out in the streets of Pau.”