Huff gets Cupra for WTCR comeback

Rob Huff, the 2012 World Touring Car champion, will return to the FIA World Touring Car Cup this season with the Zengo Motorsport Cupra squad.

Huff participated in the first two seasons of the series’ TCR era in 2018 and 2019 at the wheel of a Sebastien Loeb Motorsportrun Volkswagen Golf, but dropped out for 2020 following VW’S withdrawal. He switched instead to TCR Scandinavia, and won the title in a Lestrup Racing VW.

In addition to defending that title, Huff has joined Zengo’s four-car Cupra Leon

WTCR line-up alongside Spanish veteran Jordi Gene, Cupra hotshoe Mikel Azcona and Hungarian youngster Bence Boldizs.

It means the 41-year-old joins forces again with Cupra parent marque SEAT: his title in the one-make Cupra series in 2003 launched him into the touring car arena in the BTCC with SEAT in 2004.

“I know the Cupra is a competitive car,” said Huff. “It shares some of the underpinnings with the Volkswagen I was helping to develop two years ago, and I also spent most of last year fighting against it in Sweden, so it’ll be great to be behind the wheel of one instead. It’s also great to be back with Cupra. They launched my career in the UK, and the new car is absolutely a title contender. We know it’ll be tough as it’s not as though the other manufacturers aren’t bringing their A-game either.

“The golden ticket for me at the end is a chance to build on my tally in Macau with a car we know will be able to take us to victory, and add to my 10 wins at the toughest track in the world.”

Since the Huff announcement, the WTCR has confirmed a grid for this season of 22 competitors, with action kicking off at the Nurburgring Nordschleife on 4-5 June.