Photo: Honda Racing Team WTCR

Néstor Girolami linked to Honda seat

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Néstor Girolami looks set to make a return to the world stage in 2019 after reports emerged linking him to a seat in the World Touring Car Cup.

Girolami finished ninth in the WTCC standings driving a Volvo for Cyan Racing in 2017 before returning to his native Argentina last year as part of the Peugeot Sport Argentina assault on the Super TC 2000 series.

The 29-year-old made no secret of his desire to try and join the WTCR grid for 2019, telling TouringCarTimes he was evaluating a potential dual programme after visiting the paddock at Suzuka.

Peugeot’s decision since then to call time on its Super TC 2000 programme – and the fact that the DTA Racing squad behind it has filled all three Fiat Tipos it will instead run in 2019 – has left Girolami without a drive in the series, with his focus turning towards securing a WTCR seat.

According to MundoD in Argentina, Girolami is now closing in on a deal that would see him drive one of the four Honda Civic Type Rs on the grid for 2019.

Such a deal would see Girolami team-up with countryman Esteban Guerrieri, who is widely expected to remain for 2019 having been the best placed Honda driver in the standings last year.

Honda has yet to officially commit to WTCR for 2019, with the Japanese marque stating that it would “make an announcement about the team competing in the series as soon as the details are decided” when discussing its racing programme for the season ahead earlier this month.

Guerrieri was one of two Honda-backed drivers to race last year alongside Tiago Monteiro, with the entry cap for 2019 meaning the number of Type Rs will drop from five to four.