An 18-car field will take to the track in the opening round of the TCR Australia series at Symmons Plains Raceway this weekend, featuring six different brands.
After a one-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TCR Australia returns for its second season, after a successful maiden season in 2019.
18 cars, from Hyundai, Honda, Alfa Romeo, Renault, Peugeot and Audi will take to the track for this weekend’s first event of the year in Tasmania.
In a unique format, qualifying will take place on Monday 25 January followed by race one, with races two and three taking place on Tuesday 26 January, which is also Australia Day.
Big names, such as Chaz Mostert, Michael Caruso and Lee Holdsworth, will take place in the season opening event, with Caruso and Holdsworth in for the full season. All three will be making their first race starts in TCR.
Mostert will be behind the wheel of an Audi RS3 LMS run by the Melbourne Performance Centre, whilst Holdsworth will be in an Ashley Seward Motorsport-run Alfa Romeo Giulietta, and Caruso also in a Giulietta run by Garry Rogers Motorsport.
Returning from the 2019 season are Tony D’Alberto in a Wall Racing Honda Civic, John Martin in a second Wall Racing Civic, James Moffat in a GRM Renault Mégane, Dylan O’Keeffe as his team-mate in a second Mégane, Nathan Morcom in a HMO Customer Racing Hyundai i30 N and Jordan Cox in a GRM-run Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
The field is adorned with a number of rookie drivers, including Josh Buchan (24) in an HMO Hyundai, Luke King (30) in a MPC-run Audi RS3 and Jay Hanson (17) in an Ashley Seward Alfa Romeo.
Further Audi RS3 cars from Melbourne Performance Centre are expected to be entered as the season progresses.
O’Keeffe, racing in a Renault rather than Alfa Romeo this year, recently set the pace in pre-season testing at Phillip Island and will be gunning for the overall title in 2020, with a new champion set to be crowned with Will Brown not returning this year.
TCR Australia – entry list
2 – Luke King, Melbourne Performance Centre, Audi RS 3 LMS
5 – Jordan Cox, Garry Rogers Motorsport, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce
7 – Michael Caruso, Garry Rogers Motorsport, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce
9 – Jay Hanson, Ashley Seward Motorsport, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce
10 – Lee Holdsworth, Ashley Seward Motorsport, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce
11 – Nathan Morcom, HMO Customer Racing, Hyundai i30 N
15 – Michael Clemente, Michael Clemente Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R
17 – Jason Bargwanna, Burson Auto Parts Racing, Peugeot 308
18 – Aaron Cameron, Garry Rogers Motorsport, Peugeot 308
24 – John Martin, Wall Racing, Honda Civic Type R
25 – Chaz Mostert, Melbourne Performance Centre, Audi RS 3 LMS
30 – Josh Buchan, HMO Customer Racing, Hyundai i30 N
33 – Dylan O’Keeffe, Garry Rogers Motorsport, Renault Mégane RS
34 – James Moffat, Garry Rogers Motorsport, Renault Mégane RS
50 – Tony D’Alberto, Wall Racing, Honda Civic Type R
71 – Ben Bargwanna, Burson Auto Parts Racing, Peugeot 308
110 – Zac Soutar, Team Soutar Motorsport, Honda Civic Type R
333 – Brad Shiels, Tilton Racing, Hyundai i30 N