LE CASTELLET, France, July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Geely Group Motorsport and Geely Cyan Racing navigated a highly demanding and dramatic weekend at the third round of the 2026 Kumho FIA TCR World Tour at Circuit Paul Ricard, securing three podium finishes as Santiago Urrutia protected his lead in the standings.
Facing intense summer heat at the renowned FIA Grade 1 layout, the team showcased the underlying pace of the Geely Preface TCR. Local hero Yann Ehrlacher claimed a superb second place in Race 1, while Ma Qinghua and Santiago Urrutia secured a double podium finish in Race 2 to wrap up a hard-fought weekend.
The Geely Preface TCR race car shares the identical CMA architecture with road-going production vehicles, translating race-grade handling performance into tangible, everyday driving value for ordinary consumers.
In June, Geely hosted an exclusive Discovery Tour for French dealers, during which cooperation agreements for 60 retail outlets were signed to build a nationwide sales and service network in partnership with local distributors. Concurrently, the Geely Starray EM-i won the People's Choice PHEV Award bestowed by Les Numériques, a leading authoritative French digital media outlet.
Catering to European market demands, Geely has launched two flagship models: the all-electric E5 (Geely EX5) and the plug-in hybrid Starray EM-i, both of which have been awarded full five-star Euro NCAP safety ratings. Chassis and powertrain systems undergo Europe-specific calibration by R&D teams based in Sweden and Germany. Drawing on an integrated China-Europe R&D framework, Geely continuously transfers technologies validated under extreme track testing to mass-produced passenger vehicles.
Geely operates a three-dimensional operational system integrating global R&D, local after-sales service and region-tailored marketing. A delegation of French dealers previously visited Geely's intelligent manufacturing plants and comprehensive safety laboratories in China, further strengthening mutual confidence in the partnership. Fuelled by well-received products, expanding retail networks and consistent motorsport success, European consumers have undergone a profound shift in brand perception, recognising Geely as a global automotive marque with indigenous European engineering capabilities.
Moving forward, Geely will sustain full-season participation in the TCR series. Parallel efforts will be made to expand European retail footprints and iterate regionally optimised vehicle technologies, continuously reinforcing the brand's core competitiveness within Europe's new energy vehicle sector.
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