Gabriele Tarquini parts ways with Honda’s WTCC squad

Honda have confirmed that Gabriele Tarquini will not be racing for them in the 2016 World Touring Car Championship season, a move which will likely spell the end of the 53-year-old’s World Touring Car Championship career, with no other factory drives available for next year. The Japanese marque has indicated the Italian may be involved in their other motorsport programmes.

Tarquini, who at the season finale in Qatar confirmed to TouringCarTimes he still wants to race after finishing as the best placed of the Honda drivers in the 2015 standings, will not be back behind the wheel of the Honda Civic WTCC in 2016, with Honda planning to announce its new driver line-up at the start of 2016.

“I have many, many good memories of racing with Honda over the years, and we go back a long way,” said Tarquini. “I totally respect (Honda’s) decision for next year, and will only keep good memories of our seasons together. I am proud to have been a part of Honda’s return to World Touring Cars, and wish the team all the very best. My main objectives remain to continue to race next year so I am currently exploring options, but in parallel I am continuing to talk to Honda about remaining involved in their future programmes outside of WTCC.”

Honda’s other factory programmes outside of the WTCC include a factory effort with Dongfeng Honda in the China Touring Car Championship, while an unofficial development programme run by Honda’s motorsport partner JAS Motorsport sees Honda Civics compete in the TCR International Series.

“We are incredibly grateful for everything Gabriele has given to Honda, both most recently in WTCC and throughout his career,” said Robert Watherston, Honda Motor Europe Head of Motorsports. “He’s played a significant role in our touring car efforts over the years, not least in helping develop the current Honda Civic WTCC machine from which the Civic Type R road car is derived.

“For 2016 we have taken the decision to refresh our factory effort with the Castrol Honda WTCC team, which means that whilst we are naturally sad to lose Gabriele, we wave goodbye to him with fondness in our hearts and good memories of a great relationship. For Gabriele, we are now looking at other opportunities within the Honda Racing family and I personally would like to wish him all the very best. For the Castrol Honda WTCC team, we will be able to announce more changes and our renewed driver line-up in due course as we reset our sights on next year’s championship.”