The Argentinian, regarded as one of the world's best touring car drivers, became a full-time Honda Racing driver ahead of the inaugural WTCR season in 2018, having impressed as a stand-in at the factory FIA World Touring Car Championship squad in the final three rounds the previous year. Esteban has gone to the final round of each WTCR season in contention for the title, and has twice recorded top-three finishes in the standings: In 2018, when he finished third with two victories, including at the Macau season finale, and a year later when he won five times, taking the title fight to the final race of the season.