Six Audi RS3 LMS cars will line-up for the inaugural WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup following the announcement of four new drivers including two notable champions.
Gordon Shedden and Jean-Karl Vernay will drive for Belgian squad Team WRT. Nathanaël Berton and Frédéric Vervisch will complete Comtoyou Racing’s entry alongside Denis Dupont and Aurélien Panis. The last two drivers were announced last month.
Scot Shedden, 38, is a three-time British Touring Car champion, while Frenchman Vernay won the TCR International Series title in 2017. They received Audi Sport driver status for the upcoming WTCR season.
Thirty-one-year-old Vervisch, from Belgium, has also been confirmed as an Audi Sport driver. He possesses strong pedigree from Formula 3 and GT racing. Berton, meanwhile, has enjoyed significant success in ice racing of late in his native France. But he also has experience in Formula E, GP2 and endurance events.
François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCR promoter, said:
“Confirmation by Audi Sport of the six drivers that will contest the inaugural WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup in its RS3 LMS cars is more good news for the series. In Shedden and Vernay we welcome two notable champions from touring car racing and it will be very interesting to watch them fight on track with established drivers from the World Touring Car Championship. Berton and Vervisch, meanwhile, are among a number of exciting prospects to have signed up for WTCR. The Audi RS3 LMS should be a formidable package and Comtoyou Racing and Team WRT have proven track records.”
Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing, said:
“We look forward to the strong competition in the new racing series which is an attractive stage for many manufacturers in touring car racing. Our teams and drivers bring valuable experiences from touring car racing and other disciplines to the grid. So we intend to battle for the titles in the drivers’ and teams’ classifications.”
Circuit Moulay El Hassan in Marrakech hosts the season-opening FIA WTCR Race of Morocco from 7-8 April. WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup is the new name for the FIA World Touring Car Championship for 2018.
The drivers of the six Audi RS 3 LMS entries in the 2018 WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup:
Team WRT (@followWRT)@JkVernay ??@gordonshedden ???????@ComtoyouRacing
Frédéric Vervisch ??@AurelienPanis ??@DupontDenis ??@NatBerthon ??#TCR #LeagueofPerformance pic.twitter.com/buFgIVTyUv— Audi Sport (@audisport) February 15, 2018
