The start of the 2026 FIA TCR World Tour will be moved to a European circuit, after the planned opener at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was rescheduled.
Mexico is currently dealing with unrest after the killing of a notorious cartel leader. Whilst this has not been cited as the reason in the official press release, news reports from the country have reported roadblocks and violence in as many as eight states in the country from the cartel.
Therefore, the season opener of the FIA TCR World Tour will now be held at a different circuit, with the venue and date to be confirmed following the FIA Motor Sport World Council meeting on 26 March.
There had originally been a proposal to postpone the 2026 Mexican event, but this would have had knock-on effects for the rest of the calendar.
The TCR World Tour is planning to return to Mexico in 2027, after a highly successful first event in 2025.
“We have been taken by surprise, as everything had been already arranged to start the season in Mexico,” explained WSC President Marcello Lotti.
“However, we continue our friendly relationship with Gerardo [Rejón, the Mexican promoter] also because last year’s event was one of the highlights of the season and have already agreed to bring the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour back there in 2027.”
Gerardo Rejón, the promoter of the event in Mexico said efforts would continue to grow the profile of TCR racing in the country.
“We are obviously disappointed for this change of plans, and we fully understand why at this stage WSC cannot move the event to June,” added Rejón.
“We are putting in huge efforts to establish TCR México as one of the main motorsport series in the country and having an event of the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour is a crucial part of our strategy, which is why we have agreed to reschedule it for next year.”