Leading Swiss team Rikli Motorsport will embark on a major FIA European Touring Car Cup campaign in 2016 with two state-of-the-art TCN2-specification Honda Civics.

A stalwart of the ETCC, Rikli Motorsport has ordered a pair of the new-generation machines from JAS Motorsport in Italy. It has signed Peter Rikli, brother of team boss Erwin Rikli, to drive its lead entry, with rising Swiss star Kris Richard, 21, who has achieved significant success in karting and single-seater racing, joining the team to pilot its second Civic.

Rikli Motorsport has campaigned the older generation Honda Civic FD in the ETCC for several seasons with Peter Rikli running Michal Matějovský close to the ETCC TC2 title in 2015. It’s aiming to take a step up in performance this season when Rikli will be aiming for more ETCC success, while also assisting Richard’s touring car racing transition.

“This is a very exciting period in the history of Rikli Motorsport,” said Erwin Rikli at the team’s 2016 launch in Switzerland on Wednesday evening (17 February). “Not only have we purchased two TCN2-specification Honda Civics, we’ve also signed a very promising driver in Kris Richard, who will benefit enormously from Peter’s considerable experience and expertise.”

From 2016, the new FIA TCN2 technical regulations will be incorporated into the existing ETCC framework with the TCN2 cars running in the new headlining class alongside existing TC2T and TC2 machinery.

TCN2 cars are equipped with up to two-litre turbocharged engines, sequential gearboxes fitted with paddle-shift mechanisms, homologated roll cages and limited aerodynamic aids. They also benefit from safety fuel cells and side-impact protective door foam.

The upcoming ETCC season gets underway at Circuit Paul Ricard in France from 1-3 April. The championship will also include two races on the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife for the first time plus a street race in Vila Real, Portugal. Other venues to feature include Imola, Magny-Cours and Slovakia Ring.