TCR Series 2018: Audi replaces Seat/Cupra
ANNUAL STATISTICS The Audi RS3 LMS is the model of the year in the globally booming TCR touring car category. Several Swiss cars won international TCR races in 2018. The last TCR race of 2018 did not take place until December 30 in China. Even before then, however, the Audi RS3 LMS TCR had already been determined as the most successful model of the past season in terms of points. This title [...]
The last TCR race of 2018 did not take place until December 30 in China. Even before that, however, the Audi RS3 LMS TCR had already been determined as the most successful model of the past season in terms of points.
This title is awarded by WSC, the rights holder of all sanctioned TCR races in now 29 countries, according to a points scheme. The Audi drivers collected a combined 7213.50 points.
Behind them follow those on Honda Civic Type R (7055.75) and with last year's winning model Cupra/Seat León (6855.25). The other places are occupied by the VW Golf GTI (6595.25), the Hyundai i30 N (5813.50) and the Peugeot 308 (3100.50).
Striking increase
Audi drivers made a total of 684 race starts in 17 TCR racing series in 2018. This resulted in 43 race wins, six of them in the WTCR. However, the Seat or Cupra drivers scored the most victories (53), bringing their combined total to 915 TCR starts, followed by Honda (49) and Volkswagen (46). Nine of the twelve TCR brands scored successes.
There were a total of 246 races in 26 sanctioned TCR series. 689 drivers from 49 nations took part in at least one TCR race. This number of participants represents an increase of almost 28 percent compared to 2017.
Two wins each for Comini and Thoma
156 different drivers achieved race wins. The most successful was Luca Engstler with twelve first places in TCR Middle East, ADAC TCR Germany and TCR Asia.
According to our statistics, five Swiss drivers took TCR victory honors in 2018, but actually only three. Stefano Comini, TCR International Champion in 2015 and 2016, scored one success each at the Hungaroring and in Assen in the TCR Benelux on a Honda.
Florian Thoma took class victory in the 24 Hours of Dubai with Engstler Motorsport in a VW Golf in January and won again solo in the TCR Middle East a month later. Unfortunately, the Volkswagen Switzerland brand ambassador did not manage to do so in the ADAC TCR Germany. It was not until November that Ronny Jost also signed off as class winner in the 24H Series on a Cupra at the 24 Hours of the Circuit of the Americas.
Easy come easy go
Kris Richard would have celebrated his greatest triumph in 2018 in a Hyundai in the TCR Europe at Spa. Unfortunately, a sports commissioner subsequently imposed a one second time penalty on him, which caused the Bernese to drop back to second place. Morally, however, Richard remains the winner.
Finally, Michel Zemp achieved a respectable success in October at the FIA Hill Climbs Masters in Gubbio. There, as in almost all Swiss hillclimbs, he was the fastest TCR driver in his private Cupra, beating the Portuguese TCR hillclimb champion in an Audi.
Germany is number 1
Although the ADAC TCR Germany saw a drop in entries, it was the best-populated TCR series with an average of 27.9 cars, followed by the unofficial FIA World Championship WTCR (26.5), TCR Europe (25.1) and TCR Italia (23.7).
In 2019, Swiss drivers can score points in the German championship for the TCR Swiss Trophy. We will find out whether this will also be included in the statistics.
