Magnus credits WTCR Trophy for Audi Sport customer racing official driver chance

Gilles Magnus has followed Jean-Karl Vernay in underlining the importance of the WTCR Trophy by securing a huge career boost. The 22-year-old has been added to Audi Sport customer racing’s official driver squad for 2022 following a standout 2021 WTCR − FIA World Touring Car Cup campaign, which included claiming his maiden outright victory in the series and winning the WTCR Trophy for independent racers. Belgian Magnus succeeded Vernay by lifting the WTCR Trophy and emulating the Frenchman’s achievement of landing an opportunity with a customer racing department for the following season.

After winning the inaugural WTCR Trophy in 2020, Vernay joined Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing’s WTCR effort for 2021. “The WTCR Trophy is a great initiative to have a series within a series,” said Magnus. “Because the level is really high with the big guys it’s almost impossible to compete against them in your first year.

So it’s good to have this series for the young drivers and it proves you can become a professional if you do well in the WTCR Trophy.” Magnus joins 2021 FIA WTCR Junior Driver Title winner Luca Engstler in being signed up to Audi Sport customer racing’s official driver line-up − which also includes existing members and WTCR race winners Nathanaël Berthon and Frédéric Vervisch − although their precise programmes for 2022 have yet to be announced. “It’s been such a dream to become an official driver,” said Magnus, who raced for Comtoyou Team Audi Sport in last season’s WTCR. “I did everything I could to win the WTCR Trophy.