2024 TCR World Tour (former WTCR)

[Petoli]

Originally Posted by coffinpilot

I don't think UK would ever go with Kumho.
Almost everybody involved in TCR UK has a connection with BTCC one way or another (apart from drivers) and the Goodyear connection wouldn't be broken.
I read an interview with someone from TCR UK who said something like - we know everybody at Goodyear, we can phone them, or go and see them any time during the day, we wouldn't give that up.

Also, the teams are unhappy, very unhappy for having to pay an extra £2500 for hard tyres just for Thruxton - their budget is that tight.

I was not suggesting they would

The point i am making is that TCR world tour should not have its own tyre supplier if the premise is them racing with the other TCR series. That was the concept

The first 3 races of this year TCR world tour are stand alone events. They might as well just bring back WTCR

[KA]

Originally Posted by Rubio

Borkovic already confrimed:
https://www.fiatcrworldtour.com/news...r-at-marrakech

Bennani is pictured on all official posters for the event, so I guess it is a matter of time before we hear the official confirmation.

Sportmotores recently wrote that Bennani is likely to race with Comtoyou:
http://iris.cpidt.pt/publishing20/!s...20055&id=68968

2 more cars are possible for Volcano with local drivers + Monlau with Girolami and Davidovski.

If they eventually get to 15-16 cars, that would be super.

As for US round, there is speculation that there are no entries from US teams so far which puts the event in doubt. But let's wait and see

According to Touring Car Times, 15 are confirmed. Bennani's rumoured Comtoyou Audi has turned out to be one of the new VZ Cupras, run by Clairet Sport, who are also fielding an Audi for Julien Piguet.

The other additions to the World Tour regulars are a pair of GOAT Hondas- Borkovic as already announced, joined by Ruben Fernandez in a fourth FL5

https://www.touringcartimes.com/2024...-in-marrakech/

[Rubio]

Expected a lot worse from this version of circuit, though it is still a crappy one.
Shame it is unlikely get back to its 2009-2010/2012-2015 layout

Maybe they could remove that silly chicane at the end of the lap and create a bigger braking zone next year

[redshoes]

https://www.touringcartimes.com/2024...d-at-mid-ohio/
Just 3 local entries for the Mid-Ohio round

Harry Gottsacker and Mark Wilkins in a pair of Bryan Herta Autosport Elantras. They normally run in IMSA Challenge so will be familiar with the car.

Riley Pegram in a family-run Audi RS3. She has previously done Porsche Sprint Challenge but this will be her first outing in a touring car.

[NaBUru38]

I still think it's a bad idea for the TCR World Tour to visit North America. They don't care the least about front-wheel drive cars.

[touring fan01]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

I still think it's a bad idea for the TCR World Tour to visit North America. They don't care the least about front-wheel drive cars.

the first and second biggest selling cars in the usa (not electric or pickup truck or suv) is a front wheel drive toyota camry and front wheel drive toyota corolla

[V8 Fireworks]

Those races from Mid-Ohio were great! Such good action on a fanastic circuit!

Shame that it is (apparently) difficult to convert IMSA TCR cars to standard spec, so there were only two local entrants if I understand correctly.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Shame that it is (apparently) difficult to convert IMSA TCR cars to standard spec, so there were only two local entrants if I understand correctly.

It's not that they are difficult to convert, it's just the practicality of having to convert back and forth several times over the weekend. It's not just the mechanical changes of going between Michelin-shod endurance spec and Kuhmo-shod sprint spec, but things like changing the series-specific decals is not the work of a moment. TCR race 2 was the next session on track following IMSA qualifying so no way the teams could have got through post-qualifying tech, changed the car, and still made the grid.

Despite what was said in comms, I believe the two local entry Hyundais were not the same cars being used in the IMSA 4-hr race. Same team, same drivers, same model of car, but not the same cars.

Most other IMSA teams either don't spare cars, or don't have the resources to run those cars in a second series, or simply thought it wasn't worth the effort. None of them would have any experience or setup data for Kuhmo tyres, so they were always going to behind the World Tour regulars, and the was little to be gained from entering.

[Rubio]

Two incredible races, Mid-Ohio is perfect tor touring car racing. Reminded of good old WTCC times.

Though I guess there are questionmarks regarding the future of the event.
Unfortunately, 12 full season runners is just small for such type of event, which do not run with local series. Hope they can get to their maximum of 16 and return in 2025

When the calendar was announced I though US round was added to lure in more makes, such as Toyota, which has strong presence in the States.

Also, it seems that Morocco has withdrawn its support from the series after the Marrakech event. Taoufik posted that he won't be able to race this season anymore due to budgeting issues
Wonder if that puts the Marrakech round in danger for 2025

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by touring fan01

the first and second biggest selling cars in the usa (not electric or pickup truck or suv) is a front wheel drive toyota camry and front wheel drive toyota corolla

Yes, I meant racecars.

[NaBUru38]

The Interlagos race will feature Nelsinho Piquet, Norberto Fontana, Matias Rossi and Leonel Pernia.

https://southamerica.tcr-series.com/...rica-banco-brb

[NaBUru38]

Standing after round 5 Interlagos:

1. HUN Norbert Michelisz (Hyundai), 150
2. ARG Esteban Guerrieri (Honda), 121
3. SWE Thed Björk (Lynk), 114
4. FRA Yann Ehrlacher (Lynk), 128
5. ESP Mikel Azcona (Hyundai), 126
6. CHN Ma Qing Hua (Lynk), 111
7. URU Santiago Urrutia (Lynk), 86
8. ARG Néstor Girolami (Hyundai), 114
9. ITA Marco Butti (Honda), 66
10. FRA John Filippi (Audi), 84

Round 5 is on August 3-4, which I'll hopefully attend as I bough rather expensive tickets.

[NaBUru38]

The weather forecast is rain on Saturday and sunny on Sunday.

In other news, there will be an indoor kart race on Thursday night, including Uruguayan Superturismo drivers.

https://motoresenpunta.com/indoorkar...aster-mundial/

[NaBUru38]

Well, Urrutia is becoming the Dale Earnhardt of TCR, and in the bad sense.

Saturday afternoon had nice weather. Sunday was overcast though much less cold than last year.

This time I watched TCR qualifying from the old paddock area, and access to the TCR paddock was ridiculously slow, so it was hard to get close to the cars. Instead, I went to the Gota de Agua section on Sunday, which was a novelty to me.

Merchandising was scarce again, this time just Toyota Gazoo stuff. No Lynk, Honda or Hyundai T-shirts or hats, let alone model cars.

Driver access was again virtually non-existent.

[NaBUru38]

Uruguayan journalist Mario Rosa interviewed Marcello Lotti.

https://motoresenpunta.com/mano-a-ma...oso-con-lotti/

The 2025 calendar could have 8 or 9 rounds:
* An Americas leg in March-April, with Mexico (confirmed), Brazil and hopefully Uruguay.
* An European-African leg (with Morocco confirmed).
* An Asia-Pacific leg with Macau and Australia.

The TCR World Ranking Final would not feature World Tour drivers.

There's a sort term plan to use green fuels and a mid-term plan to add hybrids.

[Rubio]

Would be great to see the series go to the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, can be a pair of fun races.

Also hope they indeed go back to Australia, was such a decent a strong grid when they raced together (even if Bathurst is off the cards).

Though, there might be some competition for the Asian leg, remember Lotti posted a video from Inje Speedium on Twitter, saying work is under way for 2025 TCR WT calendar.

Btw, here Lotti speaks also about the Final
https://staging3.approvedadmissions....nce-discovery/

Seems it is likely that the Final will be help once in two years (at least Lotti considers this as the best solution)

[NaBUru38]

I have uploaded most photos of the TCR race at El Pinar.

Unfortunately, Wikimedia Commons doesn't allow MP4 or MOV video files, and its online file converter isn't working. So I' still ahve lots of videos pending of this race and other sports events.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/C...yo_at_El_Pinar

[samchevron]

Huff returns for the final two World Tour events in a Volcano Motorsport run Audi

https://www.autosport.com/tcr/news/b...cord/10661524/

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The 2025 calendar could have 8 or 9 rounds:

An Americas leg in March-April, with Mexico (confirmed), Brazil and hopefully Uruguay.

Two weeks ago I talked round at El Pinar, and they seem optimistic that the World Tour will return in 2025.

[Rubio]

Very very big 30-car field at Zhuzhou this weekend:
https://tcr-worldranking.com/news/it...eets-tcr-china

Wonder how will they manage the tyre question as World Tour guys run on Kumhos and TCR China on Michelins.
A one-off Kumho participation for TCR China?

[pimmy]

Very odd situation this morning where 14 cars took part in the 12-car Q2.

Good race in changeable conditions.

[Ant25]

Originally Posted by pimmy

Very odd situation this morning where 14 cars took part in the 12-car Q2.

Good race in changeable conditions.

Do you think any of the drivers will do well in British touring cars

[MotorsportMentalist]

Ma takes a popular home win in the final race of the weekend.

Meanwhile, whilst the TCR World Tour was the headline, this might be of note: https://www.touringcartimes.com/2024...hina-for-2025/

[Rubio]

Brilliant drive from Azcona in Race 1, top class

In case someone missed both races, they were good fun. That Chinese circuit looks decent for door-to-door action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qx48goNmK8&t=3367s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxUINFaO5h4

[NaBUru38]

I totally missed the races. The timezone gap didn't help me.