2022 ETCR season begins with Race FR
We are targeting a strong start to the year in the freshly renamed FIA ETCR – eTouring Car World Cup, which begins this weekend with the Race FR at the Circuit de Pau-Ville.
“It is incredibly exciting to be competing in the FIA ETCR – eTouring Car World Cup this season,” said Stefan, our Director of Marketing and PR. “Our goal is to compete for the King or Queen of the Weekend crown at every event.”
New additions
Our line-up in France features plenty of fresh faces, with Jean-Karl the only returning member of our 2021 squad. The Frenchman had a competitive first season in the ETCR category, narrowly missing out on the drivers’ title by four points.
“We have made some big improvements to the car compared to last year and we are ready for this first race,” said Jean-Karl. “My focus is on doing the best job we can and winning the Race FR.”
Jean-Karl will be joined in his home country by Spaniard Mikel, Hungarian Norbert and Italian Kevin. Mikel brings previous success from PURE ETCR to our team, having twice claimed the King of the Weekend in the inaugural season. While the event will be a first outing in electric touring car racing for Norbert and Kevin, both drivers have CVs filled with touring car experience.
“It will be a demanding weekend for me as I do not know the track and it will be my first FIA ETCR race – and my first time racing any electric car – so everything is new,” said Kevin. “My expectations for the event is to just do my best for Hyundai Motorsport N and myself.
Street speed
The iconic 2.76km Pau-Ville street track is located in the heart of the city and roughly 25km away from the Pau-Arnos E-Circuit, which held the 2021 PURE ETCR series finale. Boasting a narrow layout which leaves little margin for error, the circuit presents a challenging first test for our Veloster N ETCR.
“Pau is a circuit where having previous knowledge is a big advantage, as it is a very demanding street track that can be quite stressful for a driver,” commented Norbert. “I will try my best to be competitive from the first moment we take to the circuit.”
“The Circuit de Pau-Ville is a new track for me, and with it being a street circuit it will give us some difficult conditions to deal with,” added Mikel. “Although the goal is to go as fast as possible, we have to remember this is a long season and we need to be consistent throughout the year.”
Despite its new title, FIA ETCR will retain its unique racing format in 2022, with the drivers split into two pools and competing for points straight out of the starting gates in a series of short, intense battles. The driver with the most points at the conclusion of each event will be crowned the King or Queen of the Weekend.
FIA ETCR Race FR will take place on May 6-8.
