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The 2025 TCR Eastern Europe season begins this weekend at the high-speed Red Bull Ring in Austria, promising competition with a strong lineup of talented drivers. This first round will offer insights into who might emerge as a championship favorite.
Bartosz Groszek, the 2022 TCR Eastern Europe champion, returns with eyes firmly set on the highest prizes. He joins forces again with Aditis Racing, the Czech squad fielding Audi RS3 cars. Groszek’s teammate, Martin Kadlečík, a former Clio Cup champion, made his TCR Eastern Europe debut last year on a partial schedule and quickly impressed with multiple podium finishes, marking him as a serious contender at top positions this season.
Aditis Racing faces significant competition from fellow Czech team Hyundai Janík Motorsport. Adam Kout and Jiří Zbožínek will pilot Hyundai Elantra cars, with Kout aiming to secure the championship after finishing runner-up in 2024. Having previously finished third and second, his clear objective is to take the top spot.
Several other drivers are expected to challenge at the front, including Italy’s Giacomo Ghermandi from MM Motorsport. Ghermandi is known for his speed and aggressive racing style, proving difficult to overtake once in the lead. After several near victories previous seasons, the Italian is more motivated than ever to secure his first win in his Honda Civic.
In addition to Kout and Zbožínek, two more Hyundai Elantras join the grid. Slovenian driver Robert Pravdič, returning to TCR Eastern Europe with AMD Slovenija Avto after a hiatus since 2022, has acquired the championship-winning car formerly driven by Maťo Homola. Žarko Knego, a longtime championship competitor with Auto Klub Dubrovnik, also races a Hyundai Elantra, aiming for his first-ever race win.
Czech driver Petr Čížek, loyal to the Cupra brand since the championship’s inception in 2019, will compete in the latest Cupra Leon Competition TCR with Expres Auto Racing. Fraňo Dubreta from Montenegro also joins the series this year, driving the same model for Auto Klub Dubrovnik.
Attention will be drawn to Viktor Andersson, a TCR Europe competitor entering the Austrian event with his distinctive orange Lynk & Co 03 run by the Swedish MA:GP team. Andersson aims to use this round as preparation for his primary championship and might appear at additional TCR Eastern Europe events later in the season.
This opening event at Red Bull Ring coincides with races from other series, including HistoCup, potentially increasing the number of entries and enhancing the competition.
The 2025 TCR Eastern Europe season promises excitement and high-quality racing at prestigious Central European circuits such as Red Bull Ring, Salzburgring, Most, Brno, Slovakia Ring, and Balaton Park. There’s certainly plenty to look forward to.
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