TCR UK racer Luke Sargeant will make his TCR Spain debut this weekend at the Jarama circuit with Vannin Motorsport, running his Gen Two Audi RS3 LMS.

The opportunity to race on the continent will give Sargeant the chance to stretch the legs of a car that has been considered by those who’ve raced it in the UK to be ‘hampered’ by the nature of many British circuits. Although Jarama does have a couple of ‘point and squirt’ corners, the long start straight of the former F1 circuit along with a flowing series of corners from the exit of turn five through to the entry of turn nine should play into the strengths of the machine.

“2025 didn’t reflect what we were capable of,” Sargeant said of the Audi he has raced since the second half of 2024. “We showed pace but circumstances kept taking results away from us. This is effectively a reset – new championship, new environment and a chance to build properly.

“The opportunity to race in Spain came together quickly so we go in with limited seat time. The objective is simple: complete the races, stay clean and learn every session. From there we can start pushing forward with Vannin Motorsport. Realistically, with the lack of testing and it being a new championship, a result this weekend isn’t the target. If we end up in a position to fight for one then we’ll take it, but the priority is mileage, learning the procedures and understanding the car and tyres in this environment.”

Luke also stated that he’d like to “thank his good friend, and TCR UK race winner, Jamie Tonks for introducing him to the world of TCR, and he owes a lot of his racing progression to him.”

Sargeant carried podium finishes from 2024 into his 2025 UK campaign, but a ‘major financial setback’ early in the season, followed by being put heavily into the wall at Silverstone – a circuit where the Audi should have run well – and a Balance of Performance change restricted him to a best finish of fifth across what eventually amounted to a half-season in the series.

Vannin Motorsport Team Manager Peppe Planeta is very positive about the chance to head to the continent with Sargeant. “We’re absolutely delighted to be heading to TCR Spain. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the team and one we’ve been working towards for some time,” he said. “We know it’s not going to be easy — learning a new tyre and getting up to speed on a new track always presents its challenges. We go there with the firm objective of racking up as much mileage as possible and gathering valuable data on the new tyre, while aiming to move forward as quickly as we can over the course of the weekend. The preparation has been strong, the team is focused, and we’re ready to give it everything from the very first session.”

TCR Spain has seen a number of successes over the last few years for British drivers. Jenson Brickley took the 2024 title and Adam Shepherd and Lewis Brown have both taken race wins. Scott Sumpton and both Steve and Sam Laidlaw have taken podiums inn the championship.

Both races will be streamed this Sunday on YouTube and DAZN and 10.25am and 3.05pm.