The TCR Europe series will race at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the first time as a fully-fledged series, and in a first, it will also be the first ever sunset race for the championship, with the cars racing into the night during the first heat on Saturday.

Heat is set to be the word of the weekend, with sunny skies and temperatures well into the mid-30s expected throughout, which will make the cooler dusk temperature of Saturday’s evening’s race a little more welcoming.

The race is scheduled to take place at 20:35 CEST, with the sunset on the Adriatic coast at Misano due to take place at 20:56, meaning the cars will race off into the sunset, technically finishing at night.

With six different winners from the first six races of this season, the first question is whether that record will continue, with a number of front-runners still to take their first victory.

One of those is Nicola Baldan, one of the drivers with the most experience of the circuit from his time in TCR Italy, as well as last year’s TCR Italy champion Nicolas Taylor, and his title rival from 2024, ALM Motorsport’s Ruben Volt.

Joining the grid this weekend are three Italian racers entering as wild cards. Jacopo Cimenes, fresh from competing in four races in one weekend at Monza in the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour and TCR Italy championship, will compete in a second MM Motorsport Honda, as well as Hyundai driver Michele Imberti, who will be making his Europe series’ debut this weekend.

Felice Jelmini will miss his home race due to clashing commitments, is so will be replaced at PMA Motorsport by Sandro Pelatti. Pelatti races with the team in TCR Italy and the TCR European Endurance championship, and last raced in TCR Europe at the 2024 season finale at Valencia.

A new name joining the grid and also for the rest of the season is Turkish driver Vedat Ali Dalokay, who joins Volt at ALM Motorsport in a second Honda Civic.

Missing this weekend will be JSB Compétition, with team principal and driver Julien Briché suffering with a foot injury.

In terms of the championship, Jimmy Clairet goes into the weekend with a 24-point lead over team-mate and brother Teddy, while Max Hart carries both momentum and maximum ballast into the weekend in his Target Competition Hyundai, after a win and a second place last time out at Hockenheim. The Irish driver will be hoping to close the gap as will the chasing pack of championship hopefuls, which include Marco Butti, Eric Gené, and Jenson Brickley.

Two practice sessions take place on Friday at 14:30 and 19:00 CEST, with qualifying on Sunday at 10:55, and Race 1 at 20:35. Race 2 will be at a more typical time under the midday sun at 12:40 on Sunday.

All races will be streamed live on TCR TV’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@tcrtv