Nicky Catsburg will return to the pinnacle of International Touring Car racing in 2019 when he joins the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup in a Customer Racing entered Hyundai i30 N TCR.
Nicky will combine his WTCR campaign alongside his BMW factory GT commitments, where he will continue to compete in the World Endurance Championship in the BMW M8 GTE and selected outings in the M6 GT3.
Having competed in the WTCC from 2015-2017, where he won races for both Lada Sport and Cyan Racing – helping the latter to the 2018 World Championship – his WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup debut will be a welcome return to the category having taken a sabbatical from Touring Cars when the WTCC became a customer racing formula, WTCR, in 2018.
Catsburg will find himself in familiar company racing alongside former teammate and current WTCR Champion Gabriele Tarquini, 2018 championship contender Norbert Michelisz and current BMW teammate and DTM star Augusto Farfus in what will be a stellar line up for the Hyundai Customer teams.
“I am really excited by the prospect of a return to Touring Car Racing,” said Catsburg. “WTCR proved itself a worthy and competitive replacement for the WTCC last year and I watched all the races with interest and I always had a desire to get on the grid in 2019.
“I have to thank BMW Motorsport first and foremost for the opportunity to compete in WTCR alongside my commitments as a BMW factory driver and I am really looking forward to a full season of competitive racing around the world in the M8, M6 and i30.”
The 2019 WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup traditionally gets underway in April and follows a global circuit throughout the year.