- Èric Gené will be behind the wheel of one of the vehicles to represent Spain in the TCR category from 23 to 27 October at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.
- TCR Brazil 2024 runner-up Raphael Reis will drive the other car managed by the Barcelona-based team.
- “We certainly have an excellent team. We are aware of the high level of the championship, which we will face with all the enthusiasm and resources to achieve the best possible results,” says David Simón, Team Manager of Monlau Motul.
- “For Monlau, it is a privilege to be able to participate for the first time in its history in an event of this category and magnitude, with the professionalism and absolute dedication of the entire technical staff, students, engineers and drivers,” says Jaime Serrano, CEO of Monlau Motorsport.
Motul will make its debut at the FIA Motorsport Games, which will be held from 23 to 27 October at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, with two CUPRA León VZ TCR units. The first will be driven by one of its young talents: Èric Gené, the son of successful touring car driver Jordi Gené and nephew of former Formula 1 driver Marc Gené. The Catalan, just 17 years old, has already taken three pole positions , one victory and five podiums in his debut year in TCR Spain under Monlau, and will be responsible for representing Spain in the TCR category. The second CUPRA will be for Brazilian driver Raphael Reis, runner-up in the 2024 TCR Brazil, who will defend the colours of his country.
Monlau arrives at this event with a solid preparation thanks to its participation in international championships such as the TCR Europe. The team will have the same technical staff, engineers and mechanics that have competed this season, made up of former students and teachers of both mechanics and the Master of Motorsport Engineering at Monlau Motul Technical School, which ensures a solid organisation. In addition, the Cheste circuit is a familiar venue for both Gené and the team, where they have competed twice in the last four weeks.
For the Barcelona-born driver, taking part in the FIA Motorsport Games represents a significant step forward in his career. This multidisciplinary event brings together more than 800 drivers from nearly 80 countries, which will allow him to compete on the international stage and demonstrate his potential.
As for the car, the team has carried out a complete rebuild of the CUPRA León VZ TCR for this competition. Among the improvements, the set-up has been adjusted to adapt to the Pirelli tyres that will be used during the race.
“We certainly have an excellent team. Èric is a very fast rider, he has a lot of talent and a great future ahead of him. Raphael, on the other hand, has the necessary track record and solidity to compete in such a demanding category. We are aware of the high level of the championship, which we will face with all the enthusiasm and resources to achieve the best possible results. In addition, racing at home always gives us extra motivation,” says David Simón , Team Manager of Monlau Motul.
This will be the third edition of the FIA Motorsport Games, a unique event reminiscent of the Olympic Games format, but focused on motorsport. The final ranking is based on the number of gold medals won by countries in the different disciplines. In this sense, Monlau Motul and Gené aim to add their grain of sand to the medal table for Spain, as well as to that of Brazil with the performance of Reis.
Following the opening ceremony on Wednesday 23 October at the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, four days of intense action will begin. In TCR, the starting flag will be on Friday 25 with two free practice sessions. On Saturday morning, the qualifying race will take place, followed in the afternoon by the qualifying race, which will determine the starting grid for the following day. Finally, on Sunday, it will be the turn of the decisive race, lasting 30 minutes plus one lap, where the drivers will play for everything.
Jaime Serrano , CEO of Monlau Motul, highlights the importance of being present at a world-renowned competition: “For Monlau, it is a privilege to be able to participate for the first time in its history in an event of this category and magnitude, with the professionalism and absolute dedication of the entire technical staff, students, engineers and of course Èric, who will be accompanied by Raphael, an experienced driver. We are sure that we will be great representatives of our country and we hope to achieve good results.”
With a highly-qualified team and the motivation to race at home, Monlau Motul is ready to compete against the best in the world and show off its skills at the FIA Motorsport Games.
