Eric Gené stars in 2024 TCR Spain prologue
Eric Gené’s Monlau Motorsport CUPRA Leon Competición TCR at Valencia. Photo: TCR Spain
The fast-growing TCR Spain series put on a unique pair of races this month, hosting its own pre-season series, setting up four races as a far more interesting concept than a collection of winter test days — and while the current TCR South America champion Ignacio Montenegro secured the title, he had a close fight with the second-generation driver Eric Gené, son of CUPRA Racing development driver Jordi.
Gené, who has never driven a TCR car at a national series level before, secured both of the series’ pole positions in his Monlau Motorsport-run CUPRA Leon Competición TCR at Jerez and Valencia. While he failed to convert his first pole at Jerez to victory, pipped at the start by Montenegro’s ALM Motorsport Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR, he was able to turn the second into a comfortable win as Montenegro recovered from a slow getaway.
While Montenegro, who after a star turn at the 2022 FIA Motorsport Games and with a full title-winning campaign in South America under his belt secured the pre-season series title with three victories, Gené’s run of four podiums and a win saw the 16-year-old finish just nine points behind in the standings, showcasing the Spanish driver as a future talent in touring car racing — just like his six-time WTCC/TCR International Series race-winning father Jordi.
Montenegro is set to contest this year’s TCR Europe series with ALM Motorsport in the Civic FL5 he’s effectively shaken down in the Spanish pre-season series.
2024 TCR Spain pre-season series drivers’ standings
Ignacio Montenegro (ALM Motorsport Honda Civic Type R FL5 TCR) — 169 pts
Eric Gené (Monlau Motorsport CUPRA Leon Competición TCR) — 160 pts
Álvaro García (ALM Motorsport Honda Civic Type R FK7 TCR) — 127 pts
Marco Aguilera (Auto Club RC2 Vallés Audi RS 3 LMS gen II) — 87 pts
Santiago Castilla (Escuderia Baix Emporda CUPRA TCR) — 65 pts
Felipe Fernández (Auto Club RC2 Vallés Audi RS 3 LMS gen II) — 57 pts
Ana Carrasco (Motor Club Sabadell Peugeot 308 Racing Cup) — 55 pts
Rubén Fernández (Auto Club RC2 Vallés Audi RS 3 LMS gen II) — 44 pts
Sandra Gómez (Motor Club Sabadell Peugeot 308 Racing Cup) — 35 pts
Víctor Fernández (Auto Club RC2 Vallés Audi RS 3 LMS gen II) — 33 pts
