Van Lagen gets WTCC return with LADA

Dutch driver Jaap van Lagen will return to the LADA Sport fold when the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife hosts WTCC Race of Germany next week.

Van Lagen, 38, formed part of the LADA-blessed Russian Bears squad in the WTCC in 2008 before he switched to the full LADA Sport effort for the following season.

He will make his competition debut in a Rosneft-backed LADA Vesta TC1 after testing the car in Hungary earlier this week and is regarded as a Nürburgring specialist having taking part in the circuit’s round-the-clock event in 2013.

In fact, van Lagen is also entered for this year’s ADAC Zurich 24h-Rennen, which takes place shortly before the two FIA World Touring Car Championship races with LADA team-mate Rob Huff also in action.

He becomes the fourth driver to race LADA’s Vesta in this year’s WTCC and follows in the wheel tracks of Rob Huff, Mikhail Kozlovskiy and James Thompson. He will replace Thompson for the German round.