WTCC attracts 20-car entry for 2016

Twenty entry submissions have been accepted for the 2016 FIA World Touring Car Championship, WTCC promoter Eurosport Events is delighted to confirm.

Registered manufacturers Citroën, Honda, LADA and newcomer Polestar (Volvo) are all represented on the 2016 grid, while a number of privateer Chevrolets will also be in action during the upcoming season.

Defending champion José María López is one of four WTCC title winners chasing success along with Citroën team-mate Yvan Muller, who is vying for a record-extending fifth crown this year. Honda’s increased factory presence features 2012 champion Rob Huff, plus double Yokohama Drivers’ Trophy winner Norbert Michelisz and ex-F1 racer Tiago Monteiro. Gabriele Tarquini, WTCC champion in 2009, joins ex-archrival and former privateer Hugo Valente at LADA Sport Rosneft with Nicky Catsburg returning for a second season with the Russian squad. Thed Björk and Fredrik Ekblom will front Polestar Cyan Racing’s WTCC bid in their Volvo S60s.

WTCC 2016 provisional entry list

— 2 LADA Sport Rosneft Gabriele Tarquini (ITA) LADA Vesta
— 3 Sébastien Loeb Racing Tom Chilton (GBR) T Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
— 5 Honda Racing Team JAS Norbert Michelisz (HUN) Honda Civic WTCC
— 7 LADA Sport Rosneft Hugo Valente (FRA) LADA Vesta
— 9 ROAL Motorsport Tom Coronel (NLD) T Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1
— 10 LADA Sport Rosneft Nicky Catsburg (NLD) LADA Vesta
— 11 Sébastien Loeb Racing Grégoire Demoustier (FRA) T Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
— 12 Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team Rob Huff (GBR) Honda Civic WTCC
— 18 Castrol Honda World Touring Car Team Tiago Monteiro (PRT) Honda Civic WTCC
— 25 Sébastien Loeb Racing Mehdi Bennani (MAR) T Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
— 27 Campos Racing John Filippi (FRA) Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1
— 37 Citroën Total WTCC José María López (ARG) Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
— 61 Polestar Cyan Racing Fredrik Ekblom (SWE) Volvo S60 Polestar TC1
— 62 Polestar Cyan Racing Thed Björk (SWE) Volvo S60 Polestar TC1
— 68 Citroën Total WTCC Yvan Muller (FRA) Citroën C-Elysée WTCC
— 77 ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport René Münnich (DEU) Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1
— 89 NIKA Racing* John Bryant-Meisner (SWE) T Honda Civic WTCC
— xx Campos Racing TBA T Chevrolet RML Cruze TC1
— xx Zengő Motorsport TBA T Honda Civic WTCC
— xx Zengő Motorsport TBA T Honda Civic WTCC

T = Indicates WTCC Trophy contender; * = Subject to final FIA approval

Mehdi Bennani, Tom Chilton and Grégoire Demoustier head the Sébastien Loeb Racing attack, John Filippi, who turned 21 last month, will continue his WTCC initiation with Campos Racing, while Tom Coronel extends his partnership with ROAL Motorsport.

NIKA Racing has signed ex-Formula 3 racer John Bryant-Meisner (21) to pilot its Honda Civic, while Zengő Motorsport will announce two young Hungarian drivers for its expanded line-up later this month. They have been hand-picked to follow Norbert Michelisz, who won the independent title with the Hungarian team on two occasions and has signed to the factory Honda team.

René Münnich returns to the WTCC after a year away in 2015. The German will tackle selected events in his ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport operation, which will field replacement drivers for the rounds he is unable to contest due to schedule clashes. Meanwhile, Campos Racing is negotiating with a driver to complete its two-car effort.

François Ribeiro, Head of Eurosport Events, the WTCC promoter, said: “To get 20 cars entered in a very tough economic climate is great news and a ringing endorsement of the WTCC and all it has to offer drivers, teams, manufacturers and partners. While we welcome a number of established racers, it’s very exciting to see a new crop of young drivers planning to take part. We will monitor their progress closely as they bid for the top.”

The 2016 WTCC season begins at Circuit Paul Ricard in France from 1-3 April.