Factory Honda World Touring Car Cup driver Nestor Girolami will pilot a Wall Racing Civic Type R in next weekend’s TCR Australia round at Sandown.

Girolami is currently fourth in the World Cup, which runs to TCR specification, with three race wins to his name this season in a Munnich Motorsport Civic.

The Argentine will be joined in Australia by an engineer sent by Honda TCR constructor JAS Motorsport, which has brokered the deal with Wall Racing.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to race in TCR Australia,” said Girolami, who will drive Wall’s #38 Honda.

“I’ve never driven at any Australian circuits before and I’m looking forward to this new experience at Sandown.

“Wall Racing is an excellent team and already race winners this season and I’m sure I can work well together with John (Martin) and Tony (D’Alberto) to deliver some good results, but it won’t be easy because the level is very high with many top drivers with experience of Supercars and GT racing and some promising young drivers.

“I know the Honda Civic Type R TCR very well, but the Michelin tyres are new for me, so getting used to the way this makes the car handle will be the big challenge initially.”

Team owner David Wall believes that Girolami’s presence will be a boost for his regular drivers, D’Alberto and Martin, the former of whom sits third in the series standings.

“To have the factory driver out here is fantastic for us,” said Wall.

“I’ve been working with Nestor for a while now to try and get something going. He has heard a lot about the Australian series and has been keen to see what it’s all about.

“He needs no introduction to these cars and has a great range of experience right across the world.

“Hopefully we can hit the ground running for Sandown and get him straight up the front and, no doubt, it’s going to have a positive effect on our regular drivers Tony and John.”

The Sandown round, the penultimate meeting of the inaugural TCR Australia season, takes place on September 20-22.