Inaugural Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series winner Will Brown is returning to the competition this year, in the Audi which Chaz Mostert took to last year’s title.

Brown has inked a deal to contest the full 2022 season in one of the Melbourne Performance Centre RS 3 entries, with backing from German oil brand Liqui Moly.

The Toowoomba driver is the most prolific race winner in Supercheap Auto TCR Australia’s short history, with seven such victories on his way to the 2019 title in a Hyundai i30 N run by HMO Customer Racing.

The COVID-19 pandemic put paid to grander plans in 2020 as an official Hyundai Motorsport Junior, before Brown clinched eighth all told in a race-winning rookie Repco Supercars Championship season last year.

In 2022, he will steer an Audi carrying #999, a nod to his Erebus Motorsport Supercars team and the number he used in the 2020 Super2 Series.

“I’m pumped to be back racing in the TCR Australia Series with Liqui Moly and Audi Sport Customer Racing,” said Brown.

“After winning the series in 2019, I didn’t get the chance to defend the title in 2020 that was planned, so it is great to get back in these cars and hit the grid.

“I am excited to see what the Audi is like. It is one of the best cars in the field and being run by the team at Melbourne Performance Centre is huge.

“There’s a bit of pressure to back up what Chaz was able to achieve last year by winning the series, but I’m up for the challenge.

“Everything I do, I want to win. Racing in TCR is no different and I’ll be aiming to be near the front right from the start.

“I really enjoy competing in multiple categories of racing. For me, the more racing you do, the better you are.

“I have a few other types of racing on the horizon too, so I want to be in a race car as much as I can. I really can’t wait for the year to kick off in TCR at Symmons Plains.”

Melbourne Performance Centre finished first and fourth in last year’s Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series, courtesy of a dominant Mostert and Luke King.

Managing director Troy Russell hailed the arrival of Brown at the team.

“We are delighted to welcome Will Brown to the Melbourne Performance Centre team, driving the series-winning Audi RS 3 TCR,” said Russell.

“Will proved his talent in the inaugural season driving for one of our rivals, so now it’s great to have him in our corner, filling the shoes of Chaz who did a terrific job last year.

“Having Liqui Moly join our team is also a huge coup for Melbourne Performance Centre and the TCR Australia Series. Liqui Moly is a huge international brand, so for them to join this global touring car class makes sense on many levels.

“We can’t wait to get down to Symmons Plains and start the season, and we know that with Will and Liqui Moly, we are going to be in a strong position from the outset.”

Ironically, one of Brown’s rivals at his old TCR team will be Erebus Academy driver Bailey Sweeny, who has joined Nathan Morcom and Josh Buchan at HMO.

He will also be up against several former Supercars full-timers in Fabian Coulthard (Wall Racing Honda), Tony D’Alberto (Wall Honda), James Moffat (Garry Rogers Motorsport Renault), and Michael Caruso (Ashley Seward Motorsport Alfa Romeo).

At MPC, Brown will be team-mate to Jay Hanson, who has already been confirmed in a new-model RS 3.

Round 1 of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series headlines AWC Race Tasmania, which will be held at Symmons Plains from Friday (February 11).