Julian Santero, BMW's choice to make history in Turismo Carretera

The Mendoza driver, Julián Santero , current Turismo Carretera champion , is in the spotlight not only for his sporting present, but also for his possible role as the protagonist of one of the strongest moves in the recent history of the category: being the driver who marks the arrival of BMW in the TC from 2026.

Amid rumors initially linking him to Mercedes-Benz, the Guaymallén -born driver surprised everyone by confirming that negotiations are now at a more advanced stage for him to represent the Bavarian brand in the future.

"The brand is BMW, and the Argentine branch is very interested in entering Turismo Carretera, as is the category itself. We as a team are extremely excited," said Santero during the historic TC event on the streets of Buenos Aires.

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Gentleness.

The news marks an unexpected turn in the market for drivers and teams in Spanish motorsports. Until recently, everything indicated that Santero would be part of Mercedes's arrival, but the emergence of BMW changed the landscape.

“ Maybe this helped, obviously, they are two German brands that are competing, and if one of them lands in the TC, maybe the other will be interested in going to compete in the same place. It's like Ford vs. Chevrolet, and I think it's good ,” Santero told the Carburando program, making it clear that his choice also responds to a strategic vision about the impact this German rivalry could have on the TC.

BMW's arrival would be a further sign of the changing times the TC has been experiencing since the arrival of the new-generation cars. Toyota was the first manufacturer to break away from the historic quartet of brands (Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, and Torino), and now, with Mercedes already confirmed for 2026, BMW would join as the seventh official factory.

Julián Santero's Ford

Actc Press

The expansion doesn't end there. There are also rumors indicating Nissan's interest in joining the category, which would further deepen the transformation of a championship that aims to modernize without losing its essence.

In this context, Julián Santero , current champion and leader of the " Maximum" (and also of the National Tourism) not only continues to win on the circuits but plays a key role outside of them, a kind of bridge between the glorious past of the TC and its future.