Tiago Pernía will make his TCR Europe Touring Car Series debut this year behind the wheel of a Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR, as the championship-winning team Squadra Martino from Argentina will run a two-car programme in both Europe and in TCR South America.

The team from Córdoba has won the 2023 and 2025 TCR South America drivers' titles, first with TCR Europe alumni Ignacio Montenegro, and most recently with Leonel Pernía, Tiago's father.

The team has competed in all five seasons of the TCR South America series, and has the most race victories to its credit, and now takes on the challenge of competing both at home and in Europe.

The team, run by team principal Sebastián Martino, confirms 22-year-old Tiago Perníá as the team's first driver for its European campaign, with details of his team-mate to follow in the coming weeks.

"I am very grateful to Sebastián and the entire team for this incredible opportunity," said Pernía. "Racing in TCR Europe is a dream, and doing so with a team I know—and whose way of working I understand—gives me a lot of confidence.

"We know the level of competition there is extremely high, but we are going to work hard to represent the team and Argentina at the top."

"It is with immense pride that we announce this step," added team principal Sebastián Martino.

"After five wonderful years in TCR South America, we felt it was time to seek new horizons and measure ourselves in the cradle of motorsport.

"Carrying the Squadra Martino flag to Europe is not just a sporting challenge, but a logistical and human one as well. We have full confidence in the potential of the Honda Civic and in Tiago Pernía’s talent to be competitive from the very first round at Mugello."

The team's European programme will run from a base in Spain, with logistical support from TCR Europe squad RC2 Racing Team.