WTCC

Honda To Enter WTCC With JAS Motorsport

1 Mins read
Honda Civic WTCC - Photo Credit: Honda

The new Civic will be Honda's WTCC challenger - Photo Credit: Honda

Honda have announced that they will enter the FIA World Touring Car Championship, in partnership with JAS Motorsport.

The new 5-door Honda Civic road car built at Swindon will be the base for the new race car, which will be developed by Italian firm JAS, who have a long-standing relationship with Honda.

Honda R&D is developing a 1.6 litre turbocharged engine, which will be manufactured and maintained by engine partner Mugen.

Honda is aiming to enter rounds this season, which would include the events at the Honda-owned Suzuka, as well as China and Macau. The JAS-run team will then enter a two-car team for the 2013 championship.

Honda have previously been present on the WTCC grid with the Accord Euro R model, also developed by JAS Motorsport. The Italian team entered the series themselves in the 2005 and 2006 seasons, while N.technology ran James Thompson in 2008, winning at Imola.

“We have made a decision to enter into the WTCC with the European Civic,” said Honda CEO Takanobu Ito. “We will develop a totally new engine for this project and we are all excited about starting this new challenge.”

Olivier Fisch, Managing Director of WTCC organiser Eurosport Events, added: “We are very pleased to welcome Honda in WTCC. Their commitment is a great reward for the huge, joint effort the FIA and Eurosport Events have done all these years to make the championship growing and become popular worldwide. We wish Honda to be successful in this new racing programme.”

Honda's commitment comes at a time of renewed interest in the WTCC by manufacturers, with Ford, SEAT and Lada all looking the challenge the recent dominance of Chevrolet.

1882 posts

About author
Peter joined the TCF team in September 2010 and covers GP2 and GP3 along with WTCC and Formula Two. You can find him on twitter at @PeteAllen_
Articles
Related posts
TCR EuropeTCR International SeriesTCR UKWTCC

TCR Series Roundup - 24th March 2019

6 Mins read
The Checkered Flag looks back at the recent news and results from the various TCR Series competing around the world that has been released over the past seven days
TCR International SeriesWTCCWTCR

WTCC becomes WTCR in TCR regulations adoption

1 Mins read
The World Touring Car Championship will become the World Touring Car Cup in 2018 as the series adopts the succesful TCR concept…
TCR International SeriesWTCC

TCR and WTCC in rumoured merge for 2018

1 Mins read
A merge is expected between the TCR International Series and the WTCC ahead of the 2018 season, as the WTCC seeks to save its championship.