The TCR European Endurance is expanding its lineup ahead of the second round of the season, scheduled for May 19th at Vallelunga Circuit. Sandro Pelatti will be a new addition to the series promoted by Mauricio Slaviero, joining the main drivers who took part in the historic inaugural round at Balaton, Hungary. The arrival in Italy sees the addition of the second Italian driver, doubling the presence of homegrown talents following the first-ever race winner Eric Brigliadori in the continental TCR endurance series.
Born on April 6, 1968, Pelatti will hit the track with the Audi RS3 LMS of PMA Motorsport, bringing with him an important title earned last year in the Italian Touring Car Cup, which he is defending in 2024 as well. It’s worth noting that Sandro will also be the first driver on the grid to have competed in a TCR World Tour race, at this year’s starting event in Vallelunga, heading into TCR European Endurance and thus adding considerable value to the continental series lineup.
In addition to the prestige of a championship title and participation in the World Tour, Pelatti boasts years of experience in touring car racing, starting in 2016 with the Seat Cupra ST in the Italian Touring Car Championship – TCR, continuing in the TCR European Trophy 2017, and securing third place in TCR DSG Endurance in 2019. Pelatti is no stranger to endurance races as he had been a part of the 24H Series TCR Europe in 2020, until the conquest of the 2023 Coppa Italia title.
Mauricio Slaviero, Promoter of TCR European Endurance
“I’m thrilled to have Sandro among the attendees in the Vallelunga race. It was important for us to start at Balaton to show that our project is concrete. We need to lay solid foundations for the future and the addition of an experienced driver like Pelatti proves that we’re heading in the right direction. I’m confident he’ll be competitive, and despite not being able to take part in the Balaton race, he’ll make his mark. He’s familiar with the car, the track and the tires as well. The support of an established structure like PMA Motorsport will also be a great help to him and it will be a pleasure for us as an organization to welcome a team with multiple championships in the world of touring cars.”
Sandro Pelatti
“I’m very excited to take part in the first race on Italian soil in the TCR European Endurance. It’s a format I’ve been observing with great interest since its birth this winter and I watched the Balaton race closely to understand how it works. I find the idea of the double race stint a winning one since the budget required, by sharing the car, is certainly one of the best in the TCR world market in order to offer the same track time as a traditional series. Vallelunga is a circuit dear to me as I raced there in the FIA TCR World Tour last month and the presence of the same Kumho tires will certainly be advantageous for me and for PMA Motorsport in their debut in the series.”
