TCR UK 2025

[BertMk2]

The dust has settled on the 2024 TCR UK season so thoughts turn to 2025.

Calendar:
https://www.tcr-uk.co.uk/2025-calendar/

The season starts with 2 meetings at Donington (including one with British GT) and concludes at Brands Hatch (supporting Trucks). Interesting to see how it works out bouncing around supporting different championships throughout the season - it looks like they've accepted that they're not a headline act. British GT and the the November truck meeting should get them in front of some bigger crowds so could be a positive. Although being support for the trucks does leave you at the mercy of the gods with regard to the race timings (often long delays in the timetable whilst barriers are rebuilt).

The Gen 1 cup continues for the 2025 season - probably a good idea as it gives the older cars something to fight for and they need as many entries as possible.

Boardley has his car up for sale - is that so he can bring a new car in? Or he's moving on to something else? Or just a punt to see if anyone will take it and if not he'll carry on using it?

Sam and Steve Laidlaw ran at the last round in 2024 using new CUPRA Leons with an eye on running them in 2025 - so we can assume they're a likely entry. Any other entries people know about? Anyone from the 2024 season definitely not continuing? There has been talk of people maybe moving over to the Porsche Cayman championship as an alternative to TCR.

[Akrapovic]

I believe they're also with the Trucks at Snetterton in September. 3 out of 7 rounds with strong support events should be good for them.

[coffinpilot]

Obviously feeling threatened by that new Touring Car Championship with cars been threatened with being banned from TCR racing.

https://touringcarmagazine.co.uk/202...championships/

[tocatrucky]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

Obviously feeling threatened by that new Touring Car Championship with cars been threatened with being banned from TCR racing.

https://touringcarmagazine.co.uk/202...championships/

absolute madness to tell the 70+ TCR car owners racing at club level in Britain to ''F-off if you don't race with us'' because you race elsewhere too.

Especially when Mr ''TCR-Is-The-Future'' owns more than half the chassis on the grid and leases them out. I know of four car owners (1 Golf, 2 Cupra, 1 Civic) who won't race in TCR UK entry because Lines acts like a dictator.

[Akrapovic]

What he's done there is massively reduced the value of those cars, as now their use is limited. That's going to hurt the TCR UK entries quite dramatically over the next few years if he retains that position.

[redshoes]

There are plenty of TCR spec cars racing around the world in non-TCR branded series; everything from club sprints, endurance, hillclimb, etc. Are all those cars now banned from WSC competitions or only those in the UK?

This appears to be as a result of URC using photos from TCR Italy on their website. Interestingly URC's 'eligible cars' details never mentions TCR spec cars by name.

[TinTopGrumpy]

I think the intention of that letter is being misunderstood although I may well be wrong.

To me they are saying you can race your TCR anywhere you like but if you race in a series that is using the fact that TCR cars compete in it as a marketing tool using images of those cars and the TCR branding then it's a problem.

[coffinpilot]

It's obviously a tactic to shut down this new championship. Hadn't heard of URC till today, but looking at it all it's pretty obvious that they're trying to poach cars. Even saw a TCR UK driver - Mark Smith on Facebook talk about being shafted because he was going to run both.

[Dudley]

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

What he's done there is massively reduced the value of those cars, as now their use is limited. That's going to hurt the TCR UK entries quite dramatically over the next few years if he retains that position.

This, look at Carl selling his car right now. At £70-80k there could be people interested to run it in many places, Britcar like series, 750 club "anything goes" style events, whatever.

Now you race it in TCR UK (at a cost of much more than the car cost) or not only do you not get to use it at all, if you do then you are selling a worthless shell when you move it on.

And if you happened to have a used TCR car, maybe you'd consider entering at least some TCR UK rounds, especially if you have affiliation with something else on the trucks program. Now you'd never buy the car so you won't be able to do it, or bolster the frankly pathetic grids in 2024 TCR UK.

Mad.

And possibly even funnier since TCR UK was kept afloat in its initial days by allowing NGTC cars.

[TinTopGrumpy]

Originally Posted by Dudley

This, look at Carl selling his car right now. At £70-80k there could be people interested to run it in many places, Britcar like series, 750 club "anything goes" style events, whatever.
.

That's not how I read the letter at all. None of those series are marketing directly towards TCR cars using TCR images etc.

This letter is aimed very squarely at the URC series.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by TinTopGrumpy

That's not how I read the letter at all. None of those series are marketing directly towards TCR cars using TCR images etc.

This letter is aimed very squarely at the URC series.

its pretty clear as it states that any tcr car running in any series other than an official authorised tcr series will be blacklisted


"Any TCR car participating in these unauthorized competitions will be blacklisted in our system, rendering it ineligible for future participation in any official TCR competitions. Such vehicles will also lose their TCR homologation status, consequentially not eligible to be sold anymore as TCR cars. TCR car Manufacturers will be notified of this status change"

[thetool]

Some day a competitor (or group of competitors) needs to take legal action against these restrictions to the EU courts. I have a suspicion it would go very badly for the organisers. This isn't just a TCR problem, but also occurs in many, many other series too.

[coffinpilot]

Originally Posted by thetool

Some day a competitor (or group of competitors) needs to take legal action against these restrictions to the EU courts. I have a suspicion it would go very badly for the organisers. This isn't just a TCR problem, but also occurs in many, many other series too.

The people who buy the cars now could do this. The money they save on buying the could pay for the legal costs!

It is a bit mad, it's like TCR are saying 'we've finally given up on the UK, we'll leave it to the BTCC.'

[BertMk2]

I can understand them going after championships that advertise classes specifically for TCR cars without official sanction - but not people that run TCR cars in club championships, that's ridiculous (and as mentioned above do they actually have the right to do that?).

[Petoli]

The full WSC letter directed to owners of TCR cars in the UK:

To: TCR Car owners in UK

29th November 2024

Subject: Official notice by WSC ltd

Dear Sirs,

This notice is issued regarding the unauthorized use of TCR cars in unofficial racing series in the UK.

It has recently come to our attention that certain promoters of racing series in the UK have advertised their acceptance of TCR cars for participation in their events, either explicitly or through the use of images depicting TCR cars.

These actions create the false impression that these series are in some way affiliated with or authorized by TCR, owned and promoted by World Sporting Consulting Ltd (hereinafter “WSC”).

Such representations are misleading and constitute unfair competition. WSC is the sole owner and official promoter of the TCR regulations, the exclusive owner of the TCR trademarks and brand, and the only entity authorized to grant TCR homologation to cars that comply with TCR Technical Specifications. Furthermore, WSC holds exclusive rights to all TCR intellectual property and is the sole authority empowered to license TCR competitions and related activities.

WSC has granted exclusive rights to Maximum Motorsport Limited to promote the TCR series in the UK. This includes the use of the TCR brand and trademarks within the licensed territory, the organization and management of TCR series, and the production and commercialization of merchandise bearing the TCR National name and logo.

We hereby notify you that WSC will pursue legal action against any unauthorized series that misuse the TCR brand, trademarks, or intellectual property.

Additionally, any TCR car participating in these unauthorized competitions will be blacklisted in our system, rendering it ineligible for future participation in any official TCR competitions. Such vehicles will also lose their TCR homologation status, consequentially not eligible to be sold anymore as TCR cars.

TCR car Manufacturers will be notified of this status change.

WSC remains committed to collaborating with stakeholders who respect the rules and the integrity of the Sport.

[BertMk2]

Ok - so that reads as "if you race your TCR car in an unauthorised championship, it'll be blacklisted". I'd also interpret that as saying that you can race your TCR car anywhere you please as long as it's not an unauthorised championship (presumably unauthorised is anything that promotes itself as having a TCR class or using TCR imagery without permission).

So something like BARC saloons for example would be fine, Britcar would be fine (assuming they don't still have the official ok from TCR? In which case null and void anyway). You can have a class that TCR cars fit into but you can't call it a TCR class or advertise it as specifically accepting TCR cars.

[touring fan01]

that letter massively reduces the value and desirability of all the tcr cars for sale

[TinTopGrumpy]

Originally Posted by touring fan01

its pretty clear as it states that any tcr car running in any series other than an official authorised tcr series will be blacklisted


"Any TCR car participating in these unauthorized competitions will be blacklisted in our system, rendering it ineligible for future participation in any official TCR competitions. Such vehicles will also lose their TCR homologation status, consequentially not eligible to be sold anymore as TCR cars. TCR car Manufacturers will be notified of this status change"

But read the full letter for what they mean by "unauthorized competitions". They aren't saying racing in anything other than TCR means the car is banned.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by TinTopGrumpy

But read the full letter for what they mean by "unauthorized competitions". They aren't saying racing in anything other than TCR means the car is banned.

wsc only have the authority to authorize one competition which is tcr
so everything other than tcruk is unauthorized by them in the uk

[Petoli]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Ok - so that reads as "if you race your TCR car in an unauthorised championship, it'll be blacklisted". I'd also interpret that as saying that you can race your TCR car anywhere you please as long as it's not an unauthorised championship (presumably unauthorised is anything that promotes itself as having a TCR class or using TCR imagery without permission).

So something like BARC saloons for example would be fine, Britcar would be fine (assuming they don't still have the official ok from TCR? In which case null and void anyway). You can have a class that TCR cars fit into but you can't call it a TCR class or advertise it as specifically accepting TCR cars.

I read it as


It has recently come to our attention that certain promoters of racing series in the UK have advertised their acceptance of TCR cars for participation in their events, either explicitly or through the use of images depicting TCR cars.

These actions create the false impression that these series are in some way affiliated with or authorized by TCR, owned and promoted by World Sporting Consulting Ltd (hereinafter WSC

We hereby notify you that WSC will pursue legal action against any unauthorized series that misuse the TCR brand, trademarks, or intellectual property.

Additionally, any TCR car participating in these unauthorized competitions.

That doesnt sound like to me you cant run a TCR car in a club championship. These club championships do not have a "TCR" class rather that TCR cars fit into one of their classes due to power to weight ratio or whatever

If a series was to announce explictly that TCR cars can be raced or uses TCR cars purely as promotion then thats when issue arise

https://www.touringcars.co.uk/

That is the site of this new URC Championship. They dont explictly say TCR cars just 2 litre touring cars

However the only images are TCR cars. The header and footer image are from TCR italy. The footer image is the TCR Italy Champion.

Also the are saying the winner of the series will get funding for the motorsport games which uses TCR cars

Would that not give the impression its an official TCR series. Is this where the issue is and aimed at rather then someone who happens to campaign a TCR car in Division 1 of the Cadwell Park Sports and Saloon Cup

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by Petoli

That is the site of this new URC Championship. They dont explictly say TCR cars just 2 litre touring cars

That's no different to what Britcar are doing this year. They have gone from a specific (and WSC approved) TCR class to a more generic 2-litre class.

However the only images are TCR cars. The header and footer image are from TCR italy. The footer image is the TCR Italy Champion.

Based on the filenames I suspect they were provided by or sourced from Hankook. If they are going to show images of the type of cars the series is aimed at then it would be a bit difficult not to show a few TCR spec cars.

Would that not give the impression its an official TCR series. Is this where the issue is and aimed at rather then someone who happens to campaign a TCR car in Division 1 of the Cadwell Park Sports and Saloon Cup

I don't think anyone thought that to be an official TCR series.

I notice there is disclaimer at the bottom of the page "We have no association with any other touring car organiser or manufacturer. This is a Championship for owners of cars originally produced for touring car racing." (their bold). I don't know if that was there before or a more recent update.

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by touring fan01

so everything other than tcruk is unauthorized by them in the uk

I don't believe that to be the case (see posts above for explanation). You can run it wherever you like as long as that championship doesn't explicitly have a TCR class. It's just a really badly worded letter/press release.

[Teletubby]

I agree with BertMk2, this looks like an attempt at IP/brand protection badly worded.

[antnee]

Originally Posted by thetool

Some day a competitor (or group of competitors) needs to take legal action against these restrictions to the EU courts. I have a suspicion it would go very badly for the organisers. This isn't just a TCR problem, but also occurs in many, many other series too.

I did have a similar thought - but as the homologation is by WSC for WSC sanctioned events, there probably isn't much the courts can do. It's not that the removal of homologation stops the car being used in non-WSC sanctioned events.

It will just create a 2-tier market, those cars which are homologated and those that have lost homologation. You get similar in rally cars, where older cars have had parts changed that no longer conform to the original homologation therefore can't be classed as 'Group N', etc.

[Alessio]

The way I’ve read this is the series’ desire to allow adjustments to the TCR product. Somewhere on their website, I think it was the About page, states an allowance to adjust the ‘TCR product’ to whatever the owner wants to do with it ?* la Time Attack regulations. My perception is that the perversion of TCR homologation, in the eyes of WSC and their perception of what TCR cars should be and how this will lead to a problematic future in terms of regulating official TCR competition, negatively implicates the TCR ‘IP’. On top of this, “TCR” cars (whether in a homologated state or otherwise) can win access to the 2026 Motorsport Games, effectively meaning this is the qualifying series for the aforementioned competition. Alongside the use of TCR Italy imagery to promote the series, the whole vision of the series overtakes the explicit licensing of TCR UK as the official TCR series in the UK. I’ll probably re-write this in a more competent way than I am in my presently sleep deprived state, but I think my reasoning makes enough sense.
Tl;dr: URC allows non-homologated TCR cars, presents itself as the primary TCR championship through affiliation with MSUK as the qualifying FIA Motorsport Games TCR Series, uses the TCR IP (vehicles and imagery from Italy) to further promote this, overrides WSC’s licensing of the brand to Lines through the aforementioned points. The issue isn’t using TCR cars like Britcar and club champs were doing so up until this point, but subverting the role of TCR UK as the primary UK TCR champs. In some ways, the mention of images is smoke and mirrors to the underlying factors behind their letter of intent.