Photo: TCR Italy

21 cars entered for Imola opener as TCR Italy merges SEQ and DSG grids

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21 cars have been entered for the 2026 TCR Italy season opener this weekend as the sequential and DSG grids have been merged, down from a total of 39 cars last year when the grids were separated.

The two classes will race together this year, but start on grids that are separated by two rows and have separated points.

15 cars have been entered for the SEQ class and six for the DSG class.

Another change for 2026 is that the start procedure has been changed back to standing starts after two seasons with rolling starts due to the previously bigger grids.

While the top four drivers of last year’s final standings are gone, Michele Imberti is back on the grid with Kombat Motorsport in a Hyundai Elantra N TCR, having finished sixth overall last year.

The Audi RS 3 LMS model will make up close to half of this year’s grid, featuring front-running drivers like Matteo Poloni, who finished fifth last year, of Gear Works and Paolo Rocca of Aikoa Racing.

MM Motorsport will continue to run Hondas, fielding two Civics for Marco Pellegrini and Argentinian youngster Ramiro Zago.

There are six Cupras on the grid this season, with experienced driver Sandro Pelatti continuing to race a León VZ TCR for PMA Motorsport, while former champion Salvatore Tavano has launched the new team ST Sports which will field one Cupra for Raffaele Gurrieri.

The season opener starts with qualifying at 08:30 CEST on Saturday, followed by Race 1 at 13:15 while Race 2 takes place at 11:25 on Sunday.

2026 TCR Italy entry list

Matteo Poloni – Gear Works – Audi RS 3 LMS
Michele Imberti – Kombat Motorsport – Hyundai Elantra N TCR
Antonio Citera – Kombat Motorsport – Hyundai Elantra N TCR
Paolo Rocca – Aikoa Racing – Audi RS 3 LMS
Francesco Cardone – Aikoa Racing – Audi RS 3 LMS
Carlo Alberto Bocca – BF Motorsport – Audi RS 3 LMS
Ramazan Kaya – BF Motorsport – Audi RS 3 LMS
Temel Camildag – BF Motorsport – Audi RS 3 LMS*
Denis Babuin – Planet Motorsport – Audi RS 3 LMS
Francesco Miotto – Planet Motorsport – Audi RS 3 LMS*
Samuele Piccin – Planet Motorsport – Audi RS 3 LMS*
Daniele Verrocchio – Planet Motorsport – Audi RS 3 LMS*
Raffaele Gurrieri – ST Sports – Cupra TCR
Marco Pellegrini – MM Motorsport – Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR
Ramiro Zago – MM Motorsport – Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR
Stefan Schäfer – Schäfer Motorsport – Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR
Petr Cizek – 76 Express Auto Racing – Cupra TCR
Sandro Pelatti – PMA Motorsport – Cupra TCR
Nicola Guida – PMA Motorsport – Cupra TCR
Giorgio Fantilli – GMC – Cupra TCR*
Leonardo Cuppari – GMC – Cupra TCR*

* = DSG