Coronel transferred to Comtoyou Racing with Cupra

Still smiling despite the years that pass, Tom Coronel will continue his career in the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) in 2019. The 46-year-old Dutchman changes team and vehicle, as he leaves Boutsen Ginion Racing (which will be absent from the 2019 grid) for Comtoyou Racing and a Cupra. He thus joins Aurélien Panis.

@FIA_WTCR ANNOUNCEMENT
Very happy to be on the #WTCR2019SUPERGRID!
New team: @ComtoyouRacing
New car: #CUPRA TCR

30 races, 10 countries all over the world!
I'm eager to race
Eat My Dust ehhhh CHEESE!#WTCR @Cupraracing pic.twitter.com/aQfImPre3C

— Tom Coronel (@TomCoronel) February 26, 2019

Tom Coronel thus maintains a unique statistic: he is the only one to have competed in all seasons of the WTCC and its new version the WTCR since 2005. However, the double winner of the Trophée des Indépendants (2006 and 2009 in WTCC) must improve, his 2019 season having ended with a 23th place to the general. “Fighting for podiums should be possible”, he prospects;

“The car will keep its familiar yellow color, reassures Tom Coronel. My race number will be 50. I want to highlight my sponsor DHL because it will be the company's fiftieth anniversary in 2019. Jaime Puig, the former team manager of Seat in the WTCC, played an important role in this transfer. »

The Spaniard, head of Cupra Racing, happily reunites with Tom Coronel. “I have known him since 2001 when he started in Tourism (in ETCC). He took his first WTCC victory with a Seat Leon at Okayama in 2008. He was driving with slick tires on the front and rain on the back, I will never forget that! »

The first round of WTCR 2019 is scheduled for Marrakech (Morocco) from April 5-7.