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With the 2026 season fast approaching, preparations in the TCR Eastern Europe series are gaining momentum. Following the publication of the calendar last autumn, the championship now reveals new details for the Season.

The 2026 TCR Eastern Europe season will begin with a return to Grobnik Circuit after four years, followed by races at Salzburgring, Autodrom Most, Slovakia Ring and the Hungaroring in October. As previously announced, Salzburgring will feature a special three-race weekend format. All other rounds will retain the standard format of two races per weekend.

The races at Grobnik, Salzburgring, Slovakia Ring and Hungaroring will also count towards the TCR Croatia championship. “The cooperation with TCR Croatia proved very successful last year and was also one of the reasons for our return to the circuit in Grobnik. In the new season we will have 11 races across five race weekends. The main reason for this reduction is the effort to lower the overall costs for drivers and teams,” explains TCR Eastern Europe promoter Josef Křenek.

Joker tyres

Another update for the new season concerns tire allocation, as each driver will be able to use two “joker” tires during the season, and it is up to each competitor to decide when and at which event to use this option.

“We considered whether it would be necessary to increase the number of tires for a weekend with three races. Following a proposal from Kumho, the tire supplier, we opted for the possibility of using two joker tires during the season. This adjustment provides teams with greater flexibility in tire management while maintaining cost control across the season.”

New fuel supplier

ETS Racing Fuels will support the TCR Eastern Europe Championship with advanced fuel solutions designed to ensure consistency, performance and reliability in touring car racing.

“After a successful 2025 season supplying the TCR World Tour, we’re delighted to now be trusted by regional TCR championships for their fuel needs. We’re pleased to begin our collaboration with the TCR Eastern Europe promoter, providing our TCR-approved fuel for the series,” says Christophe Malivert, Senior Sales Executive at ETS Racing Fuels.

Cost-saving TCR Trophy concept

The WSC Group has developed the concept of a TCR Trophy that will be licensed to selected TCR-sanctioned series with the aim of encouraging teams and drivers to continue racing older cars alongside newer models. The first series to adopt the TCR Trophy category from the current season are TCR Eastern Europe, TCR Croatia and the Coppa Italia Turismo.

The TCR Trophy grants special discount codes for the purchase of spare parts from the manufacturers’ customer services. “We estimate that these measures will lead to significant reductions in running costs,” says WSC President Marcello Lotti.

The following models are eligible for the TCR Trophy category: Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce and Veloce RF, Audi RS 3 LMS Gen 1 SEQ and DSG, CUPRA Gen 1 SEQ and DSG, Honda Civic FK2, Hyundai Veloster N, LADA Vesta and Vesta Sport, Opel/Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 308 and 308 Racing Cup, Renault Mégane RS, Subaru STI, Volkswagen Golf GTI SEQ and DSG.

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