Locations of the circuits scheduled to host a NASCAR Whelen Euro Series race in 2021
The 2021 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series is the thirteenth Racecar Euro Series season, and the ninth under the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series branding. Alon Day and Vittorio Ghirelli are the reigning champion in the EuroNASCAR PRO and EuroNASCAR 2 division respectively, while Hendriks Motorsport will enter the season as the defending team's champion.
Ander Vilariño is scheduled to compete full-time with DF1 Racing this year. Vilariño was initially scheduled to compete the full 2020 season with the team, but withdrew due to family and business concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic before returning as part of DF1-MSM Racing in the season ending doubleheader at Valencia.[4]
On 7 December 2020, it was reported that Paul Jouffreau is set to make his debut in the series as the EuroNASCAR 2 class driver for Speedhouse.[7]
On 4 February 2021, DF1 Racing announced that the team has signed both Patrick Lemarié and Simon Pilate to drive the No. 66 car for the 2021 season. Both drivers will move from FEED Vict Racing to replace Lasse Sørensen and Andreas Jochimsen respectively.[3]
Team changes
Lucas Lasserre's Speedhouse team is set to be competing full-time for the first time this year. The team had previously competed part-time since their debut in 2019.
Alex Caffi Motorsport will be rebranded into Academy Motorsport after Federico Monti signed a partnership deal to become a co-owner of the team. The team plans to field up to three cars and will retain Alex Caffi Motorsport's existing partnership with Race Art Technology.[1]
Schedule
The provisional calendar for the 2021 season was announced on 20 November 2020.[8] All races of the 2021 season will be held on road courses.
On 3 November 2020, it was announced that American SpeedFest, NASCAR Whelen Euro Series' round at Brands Hatch, will return to the calendar this year after the round was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SpeedFest is scheduled to be held on 3–4 July, coinciding with the Independence Day weekend.[9]
NASCAR GP Spain at Circuit Ricardo Tormo will return to its original spot as the first round of the season. Last year, the round hosted the fourth and fifth rounds of the season as part of the one-off Valencia Super Speedweek event due to the schedule changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
NASCAR GP Italy at Autodromo di Vallelunga returned to its previous spot in the calendar as the second round of the season. It was initially scheduled to become the fifth round of the 2020 season, but the pandemic schedule changes meant that it hosted the season opening round instead.
NASCAR GP Croatia at Automotodrom Grobnik, which was added into the calendar as a last-minute replacement for NASCAR GP Czech Republic last year, becomes a permanent addition to the calendar for 2021. It is scheduled to host the sixth round of the season.
The NASCAR GP Czech Republic at Automotodrom Most and NASCAR GP Germany at Hockenheimring all returned to the schedule after their rounds were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is scheduled to host the third and fifth round of the season respectively.
NASCAR GP Netherlands at Raceway Venray, whose round last year was cancelled due to the pandemic, will not return despite the track having a contract to host a NASCAR Whelen Euro Series round until 2022.[10]
NASCAR GP Belgium at Zolder will host the season ending round once again, with the round as Zolder acting as the sole double-points Playoff round of the season.
Rule changes
On 22 January 2021, it was announced that Hoosier Racing Tire will become the exclusive tyre supplier of the series on a seven-year contract, replacing General Tire as the tyre supplier after Hoosier and General Tire's parent company Continental AG extended their tyre supply contract with the series until 2027.[11]