DTM champion Rene Rast gets WTCR Nordschleife wildcard entry

Rast, who claimed the DTM crown in his first full season in the category last year, will join team regulars Jean-Karl Vernay and Gordon Shedden for the WTCR races on the Nordschleife on May 10-12.

He will then contest the Nurburgring 24 Hours that starts after the second and third WTCR races on Saturday in an Audi R8 LMS.

The factory Audi driver's involvement means three current touring car champions will contest the Nurburgring round, with respective 2017 World Touring Car and TCR International Series champions Thed Bjork and Vernay part of the full-season field.

Rast will have to carry an additional 20kg of ballast that will be applied to each wildcard entry this season.

"Competing against the world's best drivers in a touring car now is fantastic," said Rast, who has contested the Nurburgring 24 Hours for the last seven consecutive years.

"It's a nice challenge. The field includes four world champions, plus many other title winners.

"These are big names and I'm looking forward to being pitted against them on home soil."

Organisers of the WTCR world cup have reserved a maximum of three additional spaces for wildcards at events, although it is understood more could be allowed to join for the Nurburgring round as the Nordschleife's circuit length would allow for additional cars.

Youngsters get Hungary wildcard chance

Hungarian pair Daniel Nagy and Attila Tassi will be the first wildcard drivers to contest a WTCR event when they compete at the Hungaroring round later this month.

Nagy, who competed in the WTCC in 2016 and '17, will drive a Hyundai i30 N for the M1RA squad owned by WTCR frontrunner Norbert Michelisz.

Tassi was TCR International runner-up behind Vernay last year, and is Honda partner JAS Motorsport's official test and development driver.

He will compete in a latest generation Honda Civic TCR under the Hell Racing banner.