2017 #5 World and life International Series: Five for the title Feature: The long way to Asia Reports: The World in action WORLD AND LIFE TCR 2017 NEWS HOME DRIVERS TEAM THE TCR 2016 SNAPSHOT World and life Editor in chief Fabio Ravaioli ([email protected]) Editors Alfredo Filippone ([email protected]) Mark James ([email protected]) Photography Photo 4 ([email protected]) Contributors Boost! Racing Images, Clovis Chooi, Micke Fransson, Pedro Gil de Vanconcelos, Grigory Golyshev, Sean Henshelwood, Lee Mun Yee, 60 cars invade Germany Jacques Letihon, Kanyaratana Manathanya, Natasha Mark, Where: TCR Weekend at Oschersleben (photographer Francesco Toso) Vadim Nikishev, Nuno Organista, What: There were 60 TCR cars between the International Daniel Sporre, Gen Suzuki, and German series, enough to fill the grid and the paddock Salvatore Tarantino, Koen Wijckmans Published by Published by WSC What’s next World Sporting Consulting Ltd in the world 22 Eastcheap, 2nd Floor, London EC3M 1EU, of TCR United Kingdom 22/23 July TCR Germany Zandvoort, Netherlands 22/23 July TCR Baltic 1006Km Palanga, Lithuania Designed by 5/6 August TCR Russia Smolensk Inpagina s.r.l., via Giambologna 2, 5/6 August TCR Germany Nürburgring 40138 Bologna, Italy 5/6 August TCR China Shanghai [email protected] 12/13 August TCR Scandinavia Karlskoga 19 August VLN Nürburgring 19/20 August TCR Baltic Bikernieki 19/20 August TCR Russia Moscow Reproduction in whole 19/20 August TCR Thailand Buriram or part is prohibited without 26/27 August TCR Asia & TCR China Shanghai the publisher’s permission 26/27 August 24H Series 24H Portimão, Portugal 2 STANDINGS SPOTLIGHT TCR UK promoter Jonathan Ashman (right) with Marcello Lotti the UK remains the reference country for motorsport due to its concentration of engineering companies, teams and professional people. We are confident that the new series will be successful TCR UK announcement thanks to the long-standing British tradition for motorsport in general, with particular enthusiasm for the various creates a buzz Touring Car categories.” The press release was fairly short, but to new series. The championship will be Lukoil Craft-Bamboo driver Dan Lloyd, the point: in 2018, the UK will become run by the British Racing and Sports who joined the 2017 TCR International the latest country to host a TCR series Car Club (BRSCC), who already Series from the Austrian event onwards, when TCR UK takes to British circuits. coordinate several high-profile racing was a BTCC regular and views the The reaction from Touring Car fans on series, and the promoter will be introduction of a UK TCR series as a social media was swift and seemed to be Jonathan Ashman, a former Chairman logical step. “My honest reaction is why split between those who welcomed the of the FIA’s Touring Car Commission not? TCR has been popular around the series and loyal supporters of the BTCC and the man credited with coming up world and the UK is a perfect place for a who declared that it would never with the Super Touring regulations that TCR series. The cars are around a third replace their series. proved to be so popular in the 1990s. of the price of a BTCC car, so teams don’t have to find the same level of That, of course, misses the point of the “I have worked with Marcello Lotti since money to fund a programme. I agree series completely. TCR UK isn’t intended the TCR concept was launched,” said with the people who’ve said the series to replace the British Touring Car Ashman. “This new adventure with TCR won’t compete with the BTCC – it’s been Championship, but to act as a feeder UK brings me back to my previous pretty dominant for so long and TCR UK series – a bridge between the likes of experience as a Touring Car promoter, is a feeder series. It’ll be really the single make racing series and the which gives me plenty of motivation to interesting.” BTCC (or regional or global repeat the earlier success. I’m also championships such as the TCR especially pleased to have an The fans’ reaction might have given the International Series). experienced and professional announcement a cautious welcome, but management team alongside me.” the early feedback from teams, drivers Although details such as the calendar and suppliers has been hugely positive. have yet to be confirmed, two facts Marcello Lotti, creator of the TCR It’ll be fascinating to see what happens announced by the press release commented: “This is a particularly when TCR UK hits the track in the immediately confirmed the status of the important achievement for us, because spring of 2018…. 3 WORLD AND LIFE TCR 2017 NEWS HOME DRIVERS TEAM One title, five bidders THE SUMMER BREAK PRECEDES THE FINAL SPRINT 4 STANDINGS INTERNATIONAL SERIES 5 WORLD AND LIFE TCR 2017 NEWS HOME DRIVERS TEAM The battle will go on until the last the 4” which included his team mate minute. The only thing for sure, as Roberto Colciago, reigning double the TCR International Series champion Stefano Comini (Comtoyou contenders head eastwards for the Racing Audi), Pepe Oriola (Lukoil Asian tour that will conclude the Craft-Bamboo SEAT) and Jean-Karl season, is that nothing is decided Vernay (Leopard Racing Volkswagen and the three rounds in Buriram, Golf). The weekend at Oschersleben, Zhejiang and Abu Dhabi will see a though, has added further suspense, superb battle for the title. as three of the title contenders The European part of the season is (Tassi, Colciago and Oriola) took no now over and yielded a situation points in the races, thus freezing where five drivers, representing four their positions. different teams and car brands and The only drivers scoring a handful of separated by only 43 points, are in a points in a German round position to bid for the crown. characterized by many incidents and By taking a superb double win at a pile-up at the start of Race 2 home at the Hungaroring, in the (which left a number of cars penultimate event, Attila Tassi, the damaged right ahead of the long young gun at the wheel of the M1RA boat journey to Thailand) were Honda Civic, had joined the “Club of Comini and Vernay. 6 STANDINGS INTERNATIONAL SERIES Representatives of Japanese brands visited TCR A Japanese delegation has visited Oschersleben to take an inside view of both the TCR International Series and ADAC TCR Germany. The members of the delegation were representatives of three car manufacturers with JAF, Japan’s National Sporting Authority: Kaoru Shimamura of Honda, Masahiro Moritani of Toyota and Shoichi Kamimura of Mazda. During the weekend they also had a meeting with the TCR promoter Marcello Lotti. 7 WORLD AND LIFE TCR 2017 NEWS HOME DRIVERS TEAM 8 STANDINGS INTERNATIONAL SERIES OSCHERSLEBEN - RACE 1, SUNDAY 9 JULY 2017 Often spectacular and usually in the DRIVER CAR TEAM middle of all the battles, the Swiss had a more calculating approach in 1 Gianni Morbidelli Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR WestCoast Racing 19 laps in 31:28.263 Germany, taking a fifth and a sixth 2 Daniel Lloyd SEAT León TCR Lukoil Craft-Bamboo 2.134 that allowed him to reduce the gap in 3 Rob Huff Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR Leopard Racing 5.890 the standings. As for the Frenchman, 4 James Nash SEAT León TCR Lukoil Craft-Bamboo 6.454 he was able to salvage a very useful podium finish in Race 2, which meant 5 Giacomo Altoè Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR WestCoast Racing 9.938 retaking the lead in the overall 6 Stefano Comini Audi RS3 LMS TCR Comtoyou Racing 16.300 classification, although by only two 7 Mat’o Homola Opel Astra TCR DG Sport Compétition 16.794 points over Tassi. Colciago and Comini 8 Jaap van Lagen Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR Leopard Racing 16.992 are only 8 and 9 points behind, 9 Danny Kroes SEAT León TCR Ferry Monster Autosport 23.892 respectively, with Oriola still in the race 43 points behind the leader and 10 Frédéric Vervisch Audi RS3 LMS TCR Comtoyou Racing 27.858 closing on the quintet of drivers that have passed the threshold of 100 points. Fastest lap: Gianni Morbidelli, 1:32.610, average 142.55 kph, lap 9 In Germany, the real stars were some OSCHERSLEBEN - RACE 2, SUNDAY 9 JULY 2017 of the outsiders and there is no doubt DRIVER CAR TEAM that their current excellent form will 1 Gianni Morbidelli Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR WestCoast Racing 15 laps in 23:29.470 play a role in the final and decisive 2 Mat’o Homola Opel Astra TCR DG Sport Compétition 0.434 rounds. With a sensational hat-trick 3 Jean-Karl Vernay Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR Leopard Racing WRT 0.716 (pole and both race wins) Gianni Morbidelli finally opened the victory 4 Daniel Lloyd SEAT León TCR Lukoil Craft-Bamboo 0.908 count this year of WestCoast Racing, 5 Stefano Comini Audi RS3 LMS TCR Comtoyou Racing 16.127 which has now come to terms with the 6 Frédéric Vervisch Audi RS3 LMS TCR Comtoyou Racing 27.291 Volkswagen Golf after a somehow 7 Duncan Ende SEAT León TCR Icarus Motorsports 31.037 difficult start to the season. The Italian veteran also reminded 8 Jens Reno Møller Honda Civic Type-R TCR Reno Racing 1:06.803 everybody that a great champion 9 Davit Kajaia Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR GE-Force 2 laps remains so and therefore has always to 10 Ferenc Ficza KIA cee’d TCR Zengő Motorsport 2 laps be taken into account… Mat’o Homola came extremely close to give the maiden win to the DG Sport Compétition Opel Astra in Race 2 at Oschersleben.