DUTCH WILDCARD VERHAGEN AIMING TO SHINE AT WTCR RACE OF NETHERLANDS

*Verhagen can count on TCR experience ahead of Zandvoort encounter
*Bas Koeten Racing Audi RS 3 LMS for Dutch driver
*He joins Prince Bernhard van Oranje on packed WTCR grid

Dutch racer Michael Verhagen will get the chance to shine on a global stage when he contests his home round of the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup presented by OSCARO next week.

Verhagen is entered as a wildcard for WTCR Race of Netherlands from 19-21 May, joining compatriot Prince Bernhard van Oranje at Bas Koeten Racing to drive a second Audi RS 3 LMS.

Currently campaigning a BMW M4 in the Dutch Supercar Challenge series, Verhagen, 30, has experience of TCR machinery from the TCR Benelux and Germany competitions, including with Bas Koeten Racing at Zandvoort last season.

He’s also familiar to Dutch WTCR OSCARO regular Tom Coronel, having shared a Honda Civic Type R with him in TCR Benelux in 2017.

“I have been racing in various touring car championships in both sprint and endurance,” said Verhagen. “I have done two races in TCR Benelux together with Tom Coronel and also two races in TCR Germany with the Bas Koeten Racing Audi RS 3 with Jaap van Lagen and Rik Breukers in the same team. As Zandvoort is my home track I hope to catch up speed quickly. The competition will be fierce and WTCR is the highest competition in my career so the tension is rising.”

Bas Koeten: “Racing our two Audi RS 3 LMS TCR cars in the WTCR at Zandvoort will be a great experience for our team. Having two Dutchmen in our bright orange cars is a nice addition to the strong WTCR field. I am sure the 100,000 fans that are expected will support our orange cars.”

WTCR Race of Netherlands is part of Zandvoort’s annual Jumbo Racedagen motorsport festival featuring demonstrations by Dutch Red Bull Formula One driver Max Verstappen.

Bas Koeten Racing, meanwhile, was established 15 years ago and operates at upwards of 60 circuit races and rallies each season with a fleet of more than 20 mainly touring cars. Based in Westwoud, Netherlands, the team has tackled several TCR International races in the past with some success.