Raphael Reis will continue for a sixth consecutive season with W2 Pro GP in TCR South America, once again racing a CUPRA Leon VZ TCR as he targets the overall title.
Reis has raced in the category since its inaugural season in 2021, when he was immediately a race winner and title contender. The Brazilian finished third overall every year from 2021 – 2023, before finishing as runner-up in 2024, a season which saw him claim two wins in his first year in CUPRA machinery.
Last season, Reis was again a title contender but finished fourth overall, having won one race and scored six podium results.
He is also contesting the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2026 with Stallion Motorsports in CUPRA machinery.
“In 2026, I accepted the challenge of racing in the United States in IMSA,” said Reis, 42. “The start in Daytona was encouraging, with a second-place finish, sharing a car with Celso Neto.
“Now we’re heading to TCR South America with my W2 Pro GP family. We’ve been close to the title more than once, and now our goal is to have a consistent season starting at Curvelo, to fight for the championship we’ve been pursuing from the beginning.
“We’ll be looking to find the ideal setup to score good points in the two races on Sunday. It will be crucial to finish each race well, avoiding breakdowns and accidents.”
Reis will partner Erick Schotten and Celso Neto in the expanded three-car team. Schotten makes his début in TCR, having recently competed in the Brazilian Stock Pro Light series in 2024 and 2025, scoring a total of two wins and three podiums.
The young Brazilian competed in karting prior to that, where he was part of the youngest team to compete in the 500 Miles Karting race.
Neto has twice previously raced in TCR South America – firstly as an endurance driver with Pedro Cardoso at the 2024 season opener, and then more recently at the Curvelo event in 2025 when he raced an Audi for Paladini Racing.
The Brazilian competed full-time in the 2025 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, finishing fourth overall after scoring three podiums, and he is continuing in that series in 2026, partnering team-mate Reis.