2016 TCR International Series news & rumours

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Mark0994

Some awesome news for Imola
Jordi Gene in Golf with Engstler Motorsport
http://www.tcr-series.com/index.php/...gene-for-imola

So far poor results for the well backed Liqui Moly Engstler team so they needed to do something.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by FIRE

So far poor results for the well backed Liqui Moly Engstler team so they needed to do something.

Think it's also a case of Grachev taking his funds elsewhere... http://www.touringcartimes.com/2016/...ver-reshuffle/

A shame for Pellinen and Gleason, backing finding hard to come by for race winners is never a nice thing in motorsport.

[GM10]

I don't understand why this category is unable to have stability, regarding the drivers. It's good to have also one-off entries every race, but I would like to see drivers running all the championship.

IMO TCR would have to base on national championships, running a world final at the end of the season. An International series is maybe too expensive, although the cars are very cheap.

[Bramzel]

Originally Posted by GM10

I don't understand why this category is unable to have stability, regarding the drivers. It's good to have also one-off entries every race, but I would like to see drivers running all the championship.

+1, it's whats keeping this championship from making the latest step to a real top-series.

[FIRE]

I still believe they should have kept it an European series (+ maybe Macau) and standalone final event with drivers from national series (like F3 Masters at Zandvoort and F3 race at Macau).

[J.U.]

Yes, it´s a pity. If I´m right, there have been just six drivers who did the whole season 2015.

[Mark0994]

Originally Posted by J.U.

Yes, it´s a pity. If I´m right, there have been just six drivers who did the whole season 2015.

There was 7 drivers
1. Comini
2. Oriola
3. Gene
4. Morbidelli
5. Gleason
6. Afanasyev
7. Grachev

[GM10]

7 out of 69 who entrered a round almost.

[Mark0994]

Originally Posted by GM10

7 out of 69 who entrered a round almost.

68
http://www.webcarstory.com/champ.php?ch=555&annee=2015
WTCC with expensive cars in 'private' 2013 have more drivers in every race than TCR in 2015

[GM10]

Huh, I also counted Parente who entered Portimão round but withdrew.

[Juntos]

The calendar is dis-adjusted to the reality.

[thlbtcc]

We've seen across quite a few championships that perhaps sponsorship in motorsport is hard to come by currently.

But also, maybe the viewing and track audience figures aren't high enough to warrant the investment?

[Mark0994]

I think they started too hard.
I mean only Leon was developed car
When WTCC started they have developed ETCC cars
BTCC on start of NGTC era has only 7 car that was NGTC at start of the season (2x Civic, 2x Focus, 2x Avensis and 1 A4)
2014 was first season with all NGTC cars. That was 3 years later.
I think they need more time, more cars developed to full potential and i believe that more drivers will come for full season.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by Mark0994

I think they started too hard.
I mean only Leon was developed car
When WTCC started they have developed ETCC cars
BTCC on start of NGTC era has only 7 car that was NGTC at start of the season (2x Civic, 2x Focus, 2x Avensis and 1 A4)
2014 was first season with all NGTC cars. That was 3 years later.
I think they need more time, more cars developed to full potential and i believe that more drivers will come for full season.

That's a good point, NGTC was filtered through with a mixed field until some early hiccups had been iron out. However, TCR didn't have such luxury.

Lotti built up the WTCC by starting with the ETCC, as you say. So strange him and the team went straight to international level first and not an EU or national series.

[FIRE]

On the other hand look to grid size of TCR Germany and TCR Benelux...not a bad start for brand new championships.

[Mark0994]

Originally Posted by FIRE

On the other hand look to grid size of TCR Germany and TCR Benelux...not a bad start for brand new championships.

Yes but they are mostly SEAT and VW.

[CJFG]

Late in catching up with the duo of races from Spa-Francorchamps as it is one of my favourite circuits on the planet. Pellinen blasted past Borkovic and Pepe Oriola to lead at the start of the first race, while both Sebastien Loeb Peugeots (Clairet and Guilvert) ran wide at Les Combes. Great battle further back for 11th between Afanasyev, Buri, Guilvert and Hezemans early on. Nash was then turfed out of 4th by Vernay on lap 7 for which the Frenchman was handed a 30-second penalty post-race, dropping him from 4th back to 14th. At Pouhon on the last lap Tassi had a huge crash with his Seat resting atop the barriers, Thankfully the Hungarian walked away. Pellinen won with Pepe Oriola and Borkovic completing the podium.

TCR Germany regular Buri began on pole in the second race but was shoved by both Leopard Volkswagens and fell behind Vernay at the start. Borkovic and Morbidelli clashed, leaving the Italian's Honda with 3 wheels on its wagon. Tassi nearly doubled his crash tally for the weekend, firstly sliding off on the exit of Les Combes and then being bumped by Kajaia at Blanchimont. Homola passed Buri for 3rd at Les Combes but very nearly slid into the barriers later and lost the place. Comini vaulted Vernay for the lead on lap 4, but Vernay reversed that with a copycat move a lap later. Vernay held the lead until the flag with team-mate Comini 2nd and guest team-mate Buri rounding out the top 3.

On the whole the racing at Spa didn't live up to my expectations. There were a few incidents but overtaking on the whole wasn't as common as I thought it may have been. Pepe Oriola is back at the head of the championship on 84 points, Nash 2nd on 82, Morbidelli 3rd on 80. Imola should be a worthy replacement for Monza next time out.

[FIRE]

Just watched race 1 and 2 at Imola. First race had too much contact but second race was great.

[thetool]

Originally Posted by Mark0994

BTCC on start of NGTC era has only 7 car that was NGTC at start of the season (2x Civic, 2x Focus, 2x Avensis and 1 A4)

Huh? Can't work out where you got this figure from?
If you are taking 2011 as the start, then there was only 2 to begin with, a pair of Toyotas, then joined by an Audi A4, a Proton Gen-2 by mid-season and then a second A4 at the end of the year.
If your taking 2012, well there was 9 to being with, 4 Honda, 3 Toyotas, a Proton, a Toyota and an Audi and 10 by the end of the year with the addition of Motorbase's Focus.

[Mark0994]

Originally Posted by thetool

Huh? Can't work out where you got this figure from?
If you are taking 2011 as the start, then there was only 2 to begin with, a pair of Toyotas, then joined by an Audi A4, a Proton Gen-2 by mid-season and then a second A4 at the end of the year.
If your taking 2012, well there was 9 to being with, 4 Honda, 3 Toyotas, a Proton, a Toyota and an Audi and 10 by the end of the year with the addition of Motorbase's Focus.

Aren't Honda and Ford used NGTC engines? And Pinkney was on list but he was DNS.

[Mark0994]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Just watched race 1 and 2 at Imola. First race had too much contact but second race was great.

First one was just like every BTCC race

[Fechna]

Ether Pepe Oriola thinks he is way supperior then Comini, which is hard to believe given the outcome of last season, or he really doesn't get what "Balance of Performance" means: Quote:“Overall I was 60 kgs heavier than Stefano (Comini), we were very close in qualifying, so imagine what could have happened without that. We still had a good fight, I enjoyed it because it was clean, hopefully we can do it again with the same weight.”

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by Fechna

Ether Pepe Oriola thinks he is way supperior then Comini, which is hard to believe given the outcome of last season, or he really doesn't get what "Balance of Performance" means: Quote:“Overall I was 60 kgs heavier than Stefano (Comini), we were very close in qualifying, so imagine what could have happened without that. We still had a good fight, I enjoyed it because it was clean, hopefully we can do it again with the same weight.”

I think his beef is, and I could be wrong, that the VW is lighter than the Seat before championship ballast despite being based on the same platform, tested/developed by the same driver (Gene) and using at least some of the same race parts (i.e. brake pads).

[Fechna]

Originally Posted by thlbtcc

I think his beef is, and I could be wrong, that the VW is lighter than the Seat before championship ballast despite being based on the same platform, tested/developed by the same driver (Gene) and using at least some of the same race parts (i.e. brake pads).

The Problem are the inferior aerodynamics of the golf that are producing very high drag. That's why no golf could overtake a seat on the straights. The point is: Bop should level all cars onto one level as good as possible. In my regard Oriola and Comini are very equally talented drivers, that matched their times almost in Imola in different cars. If you count into the occasion, that Pepe had success ballast, one could rather argue that the Golf is still to heavy. I'm NOT suggesting that, giving the close fights between other drivers in those cars, but IMHO the Bop is perfect in regard to SEAT, VW and HONDA.

[thlbtcc]

Originally Posted by Fechna

The Problem are the inferior aerodynamics of the golf that are producing very high drag. That's why no golf could overtake a seat on the straights. The point is: Bop should level all cars onto one level as good as possible. In my regard Oriola and Comini are very equally talented drivers, that matched their times almost in Imola in different cars. If you count into the occasion, that Pepe had success ballast, one could rather argue that the Golf is still to heavy. I'm NOT suggesting that, giving the close fights between other drivers in those cars, but IMHO the Bop is perfect in regard to SEAT, VW and HONDA.

I see, fair point, well made, thanks for the clarification.