The Cup is designed as both an opportunity for up-and-coming drivers to share the car with another experienced driver and gain knowledge, and also for teams to improve their knowledge of the car and driver at a circuit which also features later in the year on the TCR Europe Touring Car Series calendar.

The series has attracted front runners from TCR Europe past and present, as well as some returning names to the grid.

The most high profile name is last year's TCR Europe series champion Jenson Brickley, who will race his famous 246 but on a new model this weekend, as he gets his first competitive taste of the new Honda Civic Type R which he'll race in the Kumho FIA TCR World Tour this year.

TCR Italy champions Nicola Baldan and Nicolas Taylor will share an Audi RS 3 LMS run by PMA Motorsport, while current TCR Europe points leader Alex Ley will share a Hyundai Elantra run by BRC Racing Team with his usual TCR Europe team-mate Gabriele Covini.

Four-time Argentinian touring car champion and reigning TCR South America champion Leonel Pernía will race alongside his son Tiago Pernía in a Honda Civic run by Squadra Martino.

Junesung Park and Junui Park will team up in a Hyundai run by Solite Indigo Racing, while Monlau Motorsport will run a car for Viktor Andersson, who will be one of three drivers not to share the car and will take part in both races this weekend himself.

The three drivers who run solo will score half-points in the Cup standings, so will be looking for a consistent pair of finishes across the two races.

With split qualifying sessions as there are different line-ups in each race, the results will be less predicatable, and there's also no reversed grid.

Drivers who have a lower profile career record will be eligible for the Race Tyres International (RTI) Trophy, effectively an amateur class title.

Spa-Francorchamps is the first of two events in 2026, with the season finale taking place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on September 18-20.

The winner of the TCR Europe Cup drivers' title will be rewarded with a 50% discounted entry fee towards the 2027 TCR Europe series season as well as a priority entry, as will the RTI Trophy winner.

Timetable

Friday 17th April

09:00 - Free Practice 1
12:55 - Free Practice 2
17:30 - Qualifying 1

Saturday 18th April

09:00 - Qualifying 2
17:25 - Race 1 (25 minutes + 1 lap) - TCR TV

Sunday 19th April
09:20 - Race 2 (25 minutes + 1 lap) - TCR TV

All times are Central European Summer Time (CEST).

Entry list

7 - Sandro Pelatti - PMA Motorsport - CUPRA Leon VZ TCR *
10 - Viktor Andersson - Monlau Motorsport - CUPRA Leon VZ TCR
11 - Nicola Baldan - PMA Motorsport - Audi RS 3 LMS
11 - Nicolas Taylor - PMA Motorsport - Audi RS 3 LMS
19 - Felipe Fernández - RC2 Racing Team - Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR
19 - Victor Fernández - RC2 Racing Team - Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR *
22 - Giacomo Prandelli - AIKOA Racing - Audi RS 3 LMS *
30 - Alex Ley - BRC Racing Team - Hyundai Elantra N TCR
30 - Gabriele Covini - BRC Racing Team - Hyundai Elantra N TCR *
33 - Santiago Concepción - AIKOA Racing - Audi RS 3 LMS *
33 - Rubén Fernández - AIKOA Racing - Audi RS 3 LMS
85 - Tiago Pernía - Squadra Martino - Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR *
85 - Leonel Pernía - Squadra Martino - Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR
97 - Junesung Park - Solite Indigo Racing - Hyundai Elantra N TCR
97 - Junui Park - Solite Indigo Racing - Hyundai Elantra N TCR *
246 - Jenson Brickley - RC2 Racing Team - Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR
246 - Sergio López - RC2 Racing Team - Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR *

* Eligible for the RTI Trophy