Multile Argentine touring car champion Matías Rossi will join the TCR South America grid in 2024, having signed to race a Toyota Corolla for Toyota Team Argentina.
Rossi, 39, competed full-time in Argentina’s top-level TC2000 (known as Súper TC2000 from 2012 to 2021) full-time for 17 years from 2005 to 2021, before last year switching to the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series.
During that stint, Rossi claimed five drivers’ titles, three of them with Toyota, and 42 victories. He has been affiliated with Toyota since 2011, and last year won three races in the Brazilian series in a partial campaign.
Rossi has also won championships in Formula Súper Renault (2002), Turismo Carretera (2014), Turismo Nacional (Class 3, 2014) and Top Race (2019 and 2020).
Rossi re-joined the TC2000 grid this year, and will dovetail his campaign with a season in TCR. He has already gained experience of the Corolla TCR having worked as a development driver for the team last year.
“I’m very happy to be able to announce my entry into the TCR South America,” said Rossi. “For me it is very important to be able to compete in an international level category and with drivers of different nationalities.
“I’m grateful to Darío Ramonda for the opportunity and to all at TTA. I know the car from having done part of the development with Toyota Argentina at the time and I think that will be important to shorten the stage of my adaptation to the car and in the interpretation of the set-up of the Corolla.
“The objective will be to fight for race wins and reach the end with clear chances of winning the championship.”
Team Manager Ramonda is looking forward to continue working with Rossi in 2024.
“At the TTA team we receive with great satisfaction and enthusiasm the arrival of Matías Rossi, as a driver for our 2024 sports program in the TCR South America,” added Ramonda. “Matías is a driver with enormous experience and ties with our team and with Toyota.
“We aim to maintain the highest sporting objectives in the continuity of the successful performance of our Toyota Corolla TCR, in this category that grows in competitiveness year after year, which also allows us to participate again in two TCR World Tour competitions alongside the most outstanding teams and pilots of the world.
“Welcome Matías, a nice challenge awaits us, representing Argentina with the car manufactured in Argentina, and unique in the American continent, for this world category.”
It is understood that Rossi may not be the only multiple TC2000 champion to join the field this year, with Leonel Pernía also rumoured to be joining the grid.