TCR World Tour 2023 (formerly known as WTCR)

[Cinghio44]

Originally Posted by FIRE

Surprised by this. Does this mean no All-Inkl entry or a smaller Honda "factory" effort?
With a new car coming you expect the opposite.

It was mentioned in the commentary during TCR Italy round in Imola.

All-Inkl won't be on the grid this year in TCR W. Tour

[NaBUru38]

Round 1 at Algarve is this weekend.

There's 22 entries combined, with 10 Audis, 5 Hyundais and Lynqs, and just 1 Honda and Peugeot.

[Cinghio44]

I'm sure that racing actions will be a lot better this year with the nice tracks selected in the calendar, something that the WTCR lacked a lot!

The downside is the huge lost of entries... I mean NO Zengo this year, no Münich team, no team Engstler and no new team coming!

I think that TCR Is going through a process of rebuilding after the disaster of last year and the poor Eurosport Events management

Let's hope for a nice reborn!

Really looking foward this season

[NaBUru38]

Algarve didn't have a single spectator. Losing Vila Real is a disaster.

[touring fan01]

on autosport today no more audi customer racing programs (like tcr) after this year

According to Autosport’s sister website Motorsport-Total.com, there are plans to close Audi Sport Customer Racing at the end of the current season to allow the marque to prioritise its upcoming entry into Formula 1 in 2026.

This would make customer racing the latest programme to be scuppered by the Audi board in recent years following its factory exits from DTM in 2020 and Formula E in 2021, and its decision to stop its LMDh project in 2022.

According to multiple sources, Audi’s board of directors led by Duesmann decided to put all its weight behind the F1 project already in 2021, long before even its grand prix entry was finalised.

It is understood that the board finally issued instructions towards the end of last year to close its customer racing division following the conclusion of the 2023 season. Audi Sport Customer Racing includes the GT2, GT3 and GT4 variants of the R8 LMS as well as the TCR programme with the RS 3 LMS.

[v8supes]

Too easy for Lynk & Co up against the TCR Europe teams.

[Cinghio44]

The new models in front! Good for the championship

Vervish made a good recovery from the poor result in qualifying, he finished just behind Huff, both of them behind Pauwels that is the surprise of the week end in 4th.

I expect a very busy race 2, let'see!

[Rubio]

Very good Race 2, a few impressive overtakes at La Source and Eau Rouge

And very good racing in general, Spa again proves to be a suitable track for touring cars.

Replays of races:

Race 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJtFv5NB91M&t=1502s

Race 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c1OEr2mofA&t=32s

[v8supes]

No idea what happened to Vervisch this weekend and where is Josh Files?

[NaBUru38]

I can't tolerate 8-lap races with empty grandstands.

I'm ok that the TCR Europe partners with the GT Open.

But the TCR World Tour should focus on tracks with decent crowds.

And the final race should be 40 minutes.

[Cinghio44]

Originally Posted by v8supes

No idea what happened to Vervisch this weekend and where is Josh Files?

Probably he struggled with the set up given the fact that Audi was one of the heaviest car on the grid, as Huff said!

This time the non factory driver did better than the Audi drivers

Race 2 was very good, a lot of fights! Really enjoyed.

[Rubio]

Michelisz wins a close qualifying:
https://youtu.be/HB0bk6wRA4w

2 races tomorrow, both on TCR TV and Youtube

Share just a few TCR Italy competitors joined but I believe it is because this round doesn't give any points for the Italian championship and they use different tyres

[Jon411]

I was always a bit sceptical when the organisers said they would "invite" the top TCR Italy drivers to join the grid as there is no benefit for the TCR Italy drivers to be there.


With a very small full time World Tour grid they are relying on the local championships to bump the numbers up - health-wise they are worse off than the series was as the WTCR which is a bit of a shame.

[v8supes]

Maybe touring cars just dont work on a world championship level?

[NaBUru38]

Bad weekend for Urrutia :|

- o -

Stéphane Ratel tried the GT1 World Championship, and it failed. So he switched to the Blancpain, then GTWC Europe. The Intercontinental GT Challenge isn't exactly successful either.

The DTM had the Japanese invitational, but other than that it never tried to replicate the ITC of the 1990s.

After Eurosport dropped the WTCC / WTCR, Lotti is now trying a new model.

I think that the Valleunga standalone wasn't the best idea. Combination races with the TCR Europe are much more reasonable.

[Andrew Abbott]

Originally Posted by Jon411

I was always a bit sceptical when the organisers said they would "invite" the top TCR Italy drivers to join the grid as there is no benefit for the TCR Italy drivers to be there.


With a very small full time World Tour grid they are relying on the local championships to bump the numbers up - health-wise they are worse off than the series was as the WTCR which is a bit of a shame.

When asked on Twitter about the low 'invitational' grid numbers, Marcello Lotti said: "Next time we'll organize it directly, I've lost a bit of faith in certain promises!"

[Rubio]

I guess there was a lack of incentive for TCR Italy drivers to join, they did not gain any points for their championship. Maybe ACI Sport could offer some other benefits, like cash or tyres or free entry for 2024 to stimulate participation.

Still though it is surprising that the likes of Franco Girolami or Niels Langeveld did not join the event.

All in all, even 16 cars gave some very good action, Race 2 was wild. Hyundai, Audi and Lynk seem to be very close. But hope there will be more competitive entries in the next rounds. 16 cars is not something you would expect from the highest level touring car championship.

Btw, kudos to WSC for finally making proper highlights of the races on TCR TV, instead of that 1-2 minute "all about nothing" highlights that WTCR provided.

[Umai Naa]

Waste of time trying to join in with TCR Italy when their entries are so strong. Should be going after championships with smaller grids.

[FIRE]

Events during the Le Mans weekend is a no-go for me so have not seen any TCR racing.

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by Rubio

All in all, even 16 cars gave some very good action, Race 2 was wild. Hyundai, Audi and Lynk seem to be very close.

Yep some good racing.
Touring cars and Vallelunga is a good combo.

[v8supes]

Just 12 cars this weekend...

[v8supes]

Originally Posted by v8supes

Just 12 cars this weekend...

I was wrong, im sorry. I did not realise only 12 cars go into the Q2 session.

[Evantra]

Borcovic up to his old tricks…

https://bit.ly/3qFc2Vt

[v8supes]

When is this guy going to be banned?

[Evantra]

Originally Posted by v8supes

When is this guy going to be banned?

Exactly my thoughts.