TCR / 25 February 2024

Honda Civic Type R TCR to tackle KUMHO FIA TCR World Tour with GOAT Racing

The Honda Civic Type R TCR will challenge for global honours this year with an all-new team in the KUMHO FIA TCR World Tour.

Barcelona-based GOAT Racing has been created by the family of TCR competitor Ruben Fernandez Gil and will run a pair of FL5 Civics.

Pepe Oriola, the inaugural TCR South America champion in 2021 with the Civic Type R TCR, as well as a race winner in the FIA World Touring Car Championship and its successor, WTCR, and TCR Europe, has been appointed Team Manager.

JAS Motorsport, builders of the Honda Civic Type R TCR, which has won 93 major titles and more 450 races globally, will provide technical support for the programme using its extensive experience in touring cars.

Drivers for the programme will be named at a later date.

Ruben Fernandez Gil, Team Principal, GOAT Racing, said: "We are very excited to announce the creation of GOAT Racing. Although we are a new name, we have assembled a team full of touring car experience. This, coupled with an enthusiastic and renowned partner like JAS Motorsport and the championship-winning quality of the Honda Civic Type R TCR gives us great confidence that we can make an impact in the TCR World Tour. We'd like to thank JAS Motorsport and Marcello Lotti at WSC [the creator of the TCR concept] for their help in making our dream a reality."

Pepe Oriola, Team Manager, GOAT Racing, said: "This is an exciting time to launching GOAT Racing and a great honour for me to put all the experience I have gained in touring car racing both inside and outside the car over the past 15 years into a new role. It's fantastic to be back working with JAS Motorsport. As a driver I was a race winner in JAS-built Hondas in TCR Europe and made history as the first TCR South America champion in 2021. Now the challenge is to make history as a Team Manager by helping guide GOAT Racing to even bigger achievements."

Mads Fischer, TCR Project Leader, JAS Motorsport, said: "The FIA TCR World Tour is the pinnacle of global touring car competition so naturally we are very pleased to support the category again with the Civic Type R TCR and to try to add to the successes the car has already achieved in the category. GOAT Racing are a brand-new team but they are stacked full of talented and experienced personnel. We have an excellent relationship with Pepe through his time as a TCR champion with the Civic and are confident that this programme has everything it needs to succeed."

Marcello Lotti, WSC President, said: "I am delighted to welcome Goat Racing as the first confirmed team for the 2024 KUMHO FIA TCR World Tour. It's a brand-new team, but it has already grown solid roots in TCR competition thanks to the enthusiasm and sportsmanship of the Fernandez brothers. I'm sure that their association with JAS Motorsport for running a couple of Honda Civic Type R cars will be very successful."