TCR Russia is getting stronger, as it is proved by a record field of 26 entries that will take part in the season opener at Fort Grozny.

Reigning champion Dmitry Bragin, who has won the title for three consecutive years, hesitates between staying with the Audi RS 3 LMS or switching to a Hyundai i30 N. He will take a decision only after Friday’s free practice; should he stay with the Audi, the Hyundai will be entrusted to one of his TAIF Motorsport teammates: Marat Sharapov or Timur Shigabutdinov.

While Lukoil Racing has opted to run three different models, LADA Sport Rosneft fields two new LADA Vesta Sport cars fitted with the 1.8L Renault engine and multilink rear suspension for Mikhail Grachev and Kirill Ladygin. One of last year’s Vesta will be raced by privateer Aleksander Marushko.

Klim Gavrilov, the winner of TCR Italy’s first race at Monza, is a top seed for the title fight; he drives an Audi for the LAT Rally team. Another Audi is raced for AG Team by former Russian rally-cross champion Pavel Kalmanovich, the winner of last year title in the RCRS National Class.

Lev Tolkachev launched his new RUMOS Racing team and recruited Mikhail Mityaev, a double champion of the Super Production class in (2017 and 2018).

The AKHMAT Racing races one Volkswagen Golf GTI for Ibragim Akhmadov, who spent the winter in Silverstone to be trained by TCR UK champion Daniel Lloyd, and one CUPRA DSG for 19-year-old Russian karting champion Ivan Chubarov.

The event in Fort Grozny is reserved for drivers with a Russian racing license, but five of the following six rounds will be opened to international competitors too.

Both races in Fort Grozny will be streamed live at www.tcr-series.com and www.tcr-series.tv; Race 1 Saturday at 13:20 local time (12:20 CET) and Race 2 Sunday at 14:10 local time (13:10 CET).