Leonel Pernía wins TCR Brazil championship

Argentine driver Leonel Pernía, racing for Honda Racing in a Honda Civic Type R, secured his first TCR Brazil title at the Autódromo Velocitta in Mogi Guaçu, São Paulo on 26 July 2026. He clinched the championship by finishing third in race 2 of the final round while rival Raphael Reis retired early due to a mechanical failure, leaving Pernía three points ahead with 286 points. The victory made him the first foreign driver to win the TCR Brazil championship, which had previously been won only by Brazilians. Brazilian Pedro Cardoso won the decisive race, with Fabricio Pezzini finishing second. The same weekend also hosted a TCR South America round, where Joaquín Cafaro took his first win and Tiago Pernía claimed race 1. Pernía praised his team, saying “Estou muito orgulhoso por esse título…”, and highlighted the reliability of the Civic Type R throughout the season.