The TCR Europe entry has expanded as it returns to the Circuit Zolder in Belgium for the first time in four years this weekend, where current points leader Franco Girolami will be looking to defend his lead after a strong opener to the season last month at Vallelunga.

The Monlau Motorsport driver took pole position and victory in Race 1 in the all-new CUPRA Leon VZ TCR, while the rival CUPRA of Aurélien Comte won the second race, and both drivers are separated by just five points in the drivers’ standings.

Comte will again be joined by team-mate Giovanni Scamardi at SP Compétition, with Scamardi the Belgian representative on the grid for his home race.

Meanwhile, new team GOAT Racing will continue to run threeHonda Civic Type R FL5 TCRs this weekend, with the addition of 20-year-old Santiago Concepción to the team’s line-up. Concepción joins brothers Felipe and Ruben Fernández. Concepción has specialised in prototype racing for the past two years, but will make his top level tin-top debut this weekend in TCR Europe with the high-performing Spanish team.

There’s no change at the other Honda team ALM Motorsport, with Ignacio Montenegro heading to Zolder on a high after winning last week in Spain, and has the aim of boosting his title challenge after a mixed season opener with just one podium at Vallelunga. Team-mates Levente Losonczy and Ruben Volt had an even tougher race meeting in Italy, and will be aiming for a strong weekend at the famous Zolder circuit.

Nicola Baldan will again be the sole Audi RS 3 LMS on the grid, run by Baldan Group by Comtoyou, while Viktor Andersson will be racing at the Belgian circuit for the first time in his MA:GP Lynk & Co 03 TCR.

Two practice sessions take place at 15:05 and 16:45 CEST on Friday, with Qualifying at 11:20 on Saturday before Race 1 later in the afternoon at 16:15. The reversed grid race gets underway just after midday on Sunday at 12:30.