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Quinta, 24 Maio 2018 10:52 | Actualizado em Domingo, 24 Março 2024 15:40

#18 - 23 May 2018

Volkswagen launches the Golf GTI TCR Concept

The Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR Concept, the first road car directly derived from a TCR racer, has been unveiled to motorsport fans last weekend, in the TCR Europe Series’ paddock during the Jumbo Racing Days at Zandvoort.
The car is powered by a 2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that delivers 290hp and can push the Golf to a top speed of 264 km/h that makes it the fastest GTI in the model range.
Jürgen Stackmann, Volkswagen Board Member for Sales, introducing the car during the GTI meeting at Reifnitz am Wörthersee, Austria, explained: "At the moment, the Golf GTI TCR Concept – an athlete derived from racing sport – is a study. But at the end of the year, we want to make this GTI vision come true."

The design, power and performance of the Golf GTI TCR Concept all follow pure sports car doctrine. The power is transmitted to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) and a locking differential; the top speed of the standard version will be optional up to 264 km/h which makes it the fastest Volkswagen in the current model range.
The future standard version will leave the Wolfsburg plant with 18-inch ‘Belvedere’ forged wheels; 19-inch alloy wheels will also be available as an option. Behind the large wheels there is a high performance braking system with perforated discs that decelerate the production car just as effortlessly as the TCR racing car.
The car sports the ‘TCR’ logo above the sills and, when opening the front doors, this is projected on to the asphalt.
The GTI TCR Concept is in the trial phase and its standard production is due to begin at the end of 2018.

Marcello Lotti, the mastermind behind TCR, commented: “The Volkswagen Group has been one of the most supportive partners in our efforts to launch and establish the TCR concept. The Golf GTI TCR Concept is the latest fruit of this cooperation and we are extremely proud that they have elected to sport the TCR brand on the fastest ever version of one of the most popular and best-selling cars of all times.”
Sven Smeets, Director of Volkswagen Motorsport, added: “The TCR series has rapidly developed into a global success story, with more than 20 spin-offs. Having seen the Golf GTI TCR named the series’ Model of the Year on several occasions already, the road-going version is the logical next step. We are delighted by the close partnership with the TCR and I am sure that the 290-hp Golf GTI TCR Concept will go down brilliantly with the fans.”

Photos: TCR-Photo 4

 

 

WTCR @ Zandvoort
French drivers make a hat trick

The French drivers were the dominant force in the WTCR fourth race meeting at Zandvoort. Yann Ehrlacher, Aurélien Comte and Jean-Karl Vernay won one race apiece in a weekend that saw Peugeot scoring its first victory and the Hyundai patrol struggling to be on the pace following a BoP adjustment.
Ehrlacher took his second win of the season in a Race 1 that began with a spectacular accident between the Hyundai cars of Norbert Michelisz and Yvan Muller and resulted in the race being red-flagged. At the restart, the young Frenchman of Münnich Motorsport imposed his Honda Civic ahead of Comte's DG Sport Compétition Peugeot 308 and Rob Huff in the Sébastien Loeb Racing Volkswagen Golf GTI.
In Race 2 Comte gave Peugeot its maiden victory after he drove a perfect race. Two Münnich Motorsport Honda cars also claimed podium finishes after James Thompson, who had run for much of the race in second place, slowed on the final lap and allowed his teammate Ehrlacher to pass.
Thompson was on pole, but Comte made a better start and led going into Turn 1. Ehrlacher spent much of the race fighting with Pepe Oriola's Cupra for third position and overtake him on lap 12 as they made contact. Ehrlacher then claimed second place from Thompson on the final lap.
Vernay made it three French wins from three races taking a lights-to flag victory in Race 3. The Leopard Lukoil Audi RS3 LMS started from pole, alongside Huff, but Vernay got the better start and from then on he managed his pace and held the British driver at bay. Frédéric Vervisch finished third in the Comtoyou Racing Audi after a thrilling battle with Esteban Guerrieri's Honda and Gordon Shedden's Audi.
The result means Ehrlacher now has 146 points and leads the Drivers’ series from Yvan Muller on 137, Huff on 130 and Vernay on 121; Gabriele Tarquini remained scoreless and dropped to fifth with 118 points.
The series resumes in Vila Real in Portugal in late June.

Photos: WTCR-DPPI

 

TCR Europe @ Zandvoort
Azcona joins Borkovic in the lead

Mikel Azcona in the PCR Sport Cupra and Josh Files in the Hell Energy Racing KCMG Honda Civic shared honours in the second event of the TCR Europe Series at Zandvoort.
Azcona claimed his first victory at the end of a Race 1 that was influenced by a pile up at the start that resulted in a safety car period. Local hero Jaap Van Lagen who was on pole position in the Leopard Lukoil Team Audi RS3 LMS spoiled his chances with a slow start that dropped him down to fifth, while Azcona managed to keep the Hell Energy Racing’s duo of Attila Tassi and Files behind into the first turn and laid down his success on that move. When the race resumed, the young Spaniard managed to build a gap ahead of Tassi’s Honda, while van Lagen was able to overtake Dušan Borković’s Hyundai and Files to take third.
Files completed a spotless performance in Race 2, claiming his and Honda’s first victory in the series. The Briton took a perfect start from fourth on the grid, stole the lead from Jens Reno Møller and never looked back. The drivers behind him put in a great show, as they were involved in a series of tough fights. Van Lagen elbowed his way through the field from ninth on the grid to second in eight laps; afterwards he tried to close the gap from Files, but to no avail. Danny Kroes who was on pole in his PCR Sport Cupra, managed to keep a charging Tassi at bay for most of the race. During the final lap they made contact, swapped positions and paints, but eventually Kroes was tougher and retained the third position. However, after the race positions were swapped by the Stewards who judged Kroes's driving too aggressive and demoted him to fourth.
Azcona grabbed a sixth place that helped him to join Dušan Borković on top of the standings on equal points; Files moved up to third, 16 points adrift.
The TCR Europe will resume at Spa on June 8th to 10th.

Photos: TCR-Photo 4

 

 

TCR China @ Zhuhai
Victories for Honda and Volkswagen

The TCR China series kicked off at Zhuhai, where Mac Pro Racing won the two sprint races and TeamWork Motorsport was victorious in the 60-minute Race 3.
Macau's Henry Ho and Eurico De Jesus shared driving duties and victories in the MacPro Honda Civic FK8. Ho took win in Race 1 after a close fight with the Volkswagen Golf GTI of Sunny Wong, while Wang Hao completed the podium in the NewFaster Team Audi RS3 LMS. Lo Sze Ho had placed the D-Garage Kia c'eed on pole, but stalled at the start and was forced to recover, eventually finishing fifth.
In the second race De Jesus took the lead at the start, chased by Li Lin in the Leo Racing Golf GTI and Wong's co-driver Alex Hui. The latter was able to overtake Li Lin for second, but couldn't threaten De Jesus as the race finished behind the safety car following an incident between Wang Hao and Rolly Sham.
Li Lin, Henry Ho and Alex Hui had a close battle for the lead in the early stages of the long Race 3. However, after Li Lin retired, Ho created a gap and when De Jesus replaced him in the pit stop, the Honda had a comfortable lead. Despite Sunny Wong was pushing hard after taking over the TeamWork Golf GTI from Hui, the MacPro Honda was set to claim its third win of the weekend. But evrything changed in the final minutes as De Jesus slowed down and retired due to a puncture. Wong inherited the victory from Carson Tang (NewFaster Audi) and the pairing of Kong Kin Chon and La Ka Chum (MacPro Golf GTI).
The series will return to Zhuhai on June 30th / July 1st.

Photos: TCR China

 

Campeonato España Resistencia @ Alcañiz

Cupra cars dominated the TCR class in the second round of the Campeonato de España Resistencia that took place last weekend at Motorland Aragón.
Both races were set to run on 55 minutes plus one lap, however, the first one on Saturday was suspended after 25 minutes because of a pile up that involved a group of cars and did not resume. José Manuel de los Milagros and Jaime Carbó, who were leading when the red flag was waved, were declared the winners in the Cupra entered under the RAC Circuito Guadalupe banner; they were running only six seconds clear of the PCR Sport car shared by Ferran and Fernando Monje. The 22-year-old Argentine José Manuel Sapag in a Baporo Motorsport Cupra completed the podium one further second adrift on his first appearance in the championship.
Sapag took his maiden victory in the second race that ran for the whole distance; the young Argentine completed 27 laps in 58 minutes, driving two stints disrupted by the 130-second pit stop imposed to the drivers who don’t share the car. Sapag beat by less than eight seconds the experienced pairing of Joan Vinyes and Jaime Font in another Baporo Motorsport Cupra. Alba Cano Ramírez and Álvaro Huertas crossed the finishing line three seconds behind Vinyes and Font to claim third in their Monlau Competición Cupra.
The third round of the CER will take place at Navarra on 9/10 June.

 

TCR Portugal
The season begins at Braga

TCR Portugal's 2018 season begins this weekend at Braga's Circuito Vasco Sameiro.
The favourite drivers for the title fight are Francisco Mora, Francisco Abreu and Gustavo Moura who have been already seen this year in the TCR Europe Series.
Mora, the TCR Portugal champion in 2016 and 2017 will defend the title in a Veloso Motorsport SEAT León, while last year's vice-champion Abreu will share the Peugeot 308 run by Sports & You with Rafael Lobato. Moura will be at the wheel of an Audi RS3 LMS entered by Speedy Motorsport.
Other drivers to watch are Francisco Carvalho (Veloso Motorsport SEAT), Armando Parente (Team Novadriver Volkswagen Golf GTI) and Manuel Gião (Kia c'eed)
The TCR Portugal will feature a double race at each of its four events. After Braga the series will visit Vila Real in the WTCR weekend (22/24 June), Estoril (1/2 September) and Portimão (27/28 October).

Photos: TCR-Photo 4

 

The 24H TCE Series resumes at Imola

Fifteen TCR teams have entered in the 12H Imola, the third round of the 24H TCE Series that takes place trom Thursday to Saturday this week.
The Cupra/SEAT cars make half of the field; the rest is formed by the Team Hyundai Denmark single entry, one Peugeot 308, two Audi RS3 LMS and three Volkswagen Golf GTI cars.
The top seeds for the victory are the Cupra DSG run by LMS Racing-Bas Koeten Racing that won the 24H Nürburgring and the Red Camel-Jordans.nl SEAT León DSG that was victorious in the 24H Silverstone.

Photo: 24H Series

 

The TCR events of the week

24 / 26 May - 24H TCE Series, 12H Imola @ Imola, Italy
25 / 26 May - Pirelli World Challenge, Rounds 5 & 6 @ Lime Rock, USA
26 / 27 May - TCR Portugal, Rounds 1 & 2 @ Braga, Portugal

Live streaming at www.tcr-series.com and www.tcr-series.tv.

Saturday: Pirelli World Challenge, Race 1 - 10:50 local (16:50 CET)
Saturday: Pirelli World Challenge, Race 2 - 16:20 local (22:20 CET)


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