FEATURE: Your guide to TCR Australia

Australia’s newest touring car series will burst onto the motorsport landscape with the inaugural round of TCR Australia at Sydney Motorsport Park this weekend.

Speedcafe.com has put together the below introductory guide to understand all things TCR Australia.

What is TCR?

TCR simply stands for ‘Touring Car Racing’ and is the brainchild of former World Touring Car Championship promoter Marcello Lotti.

The Italian created the TCR set of regulations with the aim of producing a cost effective touring car class while still involving manufacturers.

Lotti tapped into the successful GT3 racing model that has attracted multiple manufacturers to create cars to be sold to customers and raced all over the world.

The TCR formula is based around production-based turbo-charged two litre, four cylinder, front wheel drive hatchbacks and sedans.

In 2015 the category successfully launched and has since been adopted all over the world, culminating in the formation of several international and national series.

TCR Australia will be contested over seven rounds as part of the Shannons Nationals program.   

Manufacturers/Cars

The TCR platform has seen 14 manufacturers develop bespoke race cars to compete in the category with eight of those represented on the TCR Australia grid. 

Audi, Alfa Romeo, Honda, Hyundai, Opel/Holden, Renault, Subaru and Volkswagen all feature in TCR Australia.

Homologated marques/cars include; Audi (RS3 LMS TCR), SEAT (Leon TCR), Volkswagen (Golf GTi TCR), Alfa Romeo (Giulietta TCR), Honda (Civic Type R TCR), Lynk & Co (03 TCR), Kia (Cee’d GT TCR), Lada (Vesta TCR), Opel/Holden (Astra TCR), Peugeot (308 TCR), Renault (Megane TCR), Hyundai (i30N TCR), CUPRA TCR, and Subaru (WRX STi TCR).

TCR Australia Calendar

Round 1: Sydney Motorsport Park, May 17-19
Round 2: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, June 6-9
Round 3: The Bend Motorsport Park, July 12-14
Round 4: Queensland Raceway, August 2-4
Round 5: Winton, August 31 -September 1
Round 6: Sandown International Motor Raceway, September 20-22
Round 7: The Bend Motorsport Park, November 15-17

Entry List

Factory Involvement

TCR Series rules stipulate that fully-fledged factory owned entries are prohibited, however, car manufacturers are encouraged to support its cars entered by professional or private teams.

Honda Australia and Renault Australia have offered minor support to Wall Racing’s Civic Type Rs and Garry Rogers Motorsport’s Meganes in TCR Australia. 

Cost

A TCR race car costs in the region of $200,000 excluding spares. Customers can expect cars to be imported to Australia within 10 days depending on the manufacturer

Race Format

TCR Australia race weekends will be contested over three 30-minute sprint races.

Competitors will participate in two 30-minute practice sessions on Friday.

A single 30-minute qualifying session will set the grid for Race 1. Progressive grids will be in use for Races 2 and 3.

On Sundays, only 30 minutes will be allowed between the end of Race 2 and the closure of pit lane for the start of Race 3, with the added challenge of a 10-minute parc ferme period following Race 2.

Teams will therefore have only the 20 minutes, at which time cars must be parked at 45 degrees on the pit apron, to effect any repairs between races.

Refuelling is not permitted but tank capacity covers the two races, and any other work is allowed.      

Tyres

TCR Australia competitors will run on control Michelin tyres.

Each car will be handed 10 hard compound Michelin slick tyres for a race weekend, with a new set required to be run in qualifying and two new tyres in each of Races 1 and 2.

Points System

Prize Pool

The overall winner is set to pocket $100,000 with $50,000 and $25,000 on offer for second and third in the standings respectively.

Meanwhile, the winner of the Michelin Cup for privateer entries will also receive $25,000 in prize money.

There will also be an ‘emerging talent’ component that will provide a selected driver an opportunity within the global TCR platform.

Pole position winners at each round will also be awarded $1,000.

The top eight overall in the series standings will earn Supercars Superlicence points.  

Television Coverage

All seven rounds of TCR Australia will be broadcast live on free-to-air network SBS. It will also be broadcast via Shannons Nationals’ live streaming service which will be carried by www.speedcafe.com.

Round 1 Sydney Motorsport Park Schedule

Saturday May 18 – 1400-1500 (AEST)
Sunday May 19 – 1300- 1500 (AEST)

TCR Regulations 

Eligible cars: 4/5-door vehicles
Body shell: Reinforced production body shell; wheel arch modifications allowed to accommodate tyres
Minimum weight: 1250kg for cars with production gearbox, 1285kg for cars with racing gearbox (both including the driver)Minimum overall length: 4.20 metres
Maximum overall width: 1.95 metres
Engine: Turbo-charged petrol or diesel up to 2.0-litre
Torque: 420Nm
Power: 260kW
Lubrication: Wet sump
Exhaust: Homologated catalytic converter using production parts
Traction: On two wheels
Gearbox: Production or TCR International Series sequential; production paddle shift accepted
Front Suspension: Production lay-out; parts free design
Rear Suspension: Original design of production car with reinforced components
Brakes: Front: maximum 6 piston calipers, brake discs maximum diameter 380mm
Rear: maximum 2 piston callipers; production ABS accepted
Wheels: Maximum dimensions of rim: 10″ x 18”.

TCR Grid Card