The TCR European Endurance is preparing for a new international challenge at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, which will host the third round of the 2026 season on September 27. The Spanish trip represents one of the new additions to the calendar of the series promoted by RIZA International and will bring the championship to a circuit with a long-standing tradition in international motorsport and a particularly strong connection to the world of TCR competition. Opened in 1999, the Cheste circuit features a design inspired by American motorsport, allowing spectators to follow the entire race from the grandstands, with virtually every part of the track visible from across the venue. The GP layout is 4.005 kilometres long and features 14 corners, five right-handers and nine left-handers, with a 12-metre-wide track and an 876-metre main straight. The configuration combines more technical sections with others where line management and finding the right balance between cornering speed and top speed will be crucial.
The link between Valencia and the TCR world dates back to the category’s first season of international competition. In 2015, the Circuit Ricardo Tormo hosted the first European round of the TCR International Series, which arrived in Spain after its opening races in Asia. The Valencia weekend therefore represented one of the first chapters in the history of the TCR project at international level, contributing to the category’s expansion across Europe. Ten years on, the circuit has further strengthened its position on the international touring car scene. Valencia has become a regular fixture on the FIA TCR World Tour calendar, hosting a round in both 2025 and 2026. The most recent edition, held in June this year, saw the World Tour share the weekend with TCR Spain and introduced a more compact 3.136-kilometre track configuration, designed to encourage closer racing and create more overtaking opportunities.
The TCR European Endurance will therefore face its first race at the circuit named after Ricardo Tormo in a high-profile setting. The championship’s format will also offer a different perspective compared with the sprint races of the TCR World Tour, testing drivers and teams not only on outright performance, but also on tyre management, traffic and strategy throughout the different stages of the race. This will be particularly interesting given the simultaneous presence of the GTC Endurance Challenge, which will also bring GT4 machinery onto the track and add another variable to traffic management.
The Valencia round will therefore carry significant weight in the overall championship picture. Following the opening two rounds at Vallelunga and the Slovakiaring, the third event will be the penultimate stop before the season finale at Misano on November 15. With two rounds still to be contested, the Spanish trip could have a major impact on the championship standings, making the Circuit Ricardo Tormo one of the key venues in the final push for the 2026 TCR European Endurance titles.
