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Cyan Racing’s Lynk & Co is another new marque to win at Mount Panorama where Uruguay’s Santiago Urrutia led throughout the opening race of the combined Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series and the Kumho TCR World Tour.
He took a narrow win over the Wall Racing Honda Civic FL5s of Argentina’s Nestor Girolami and leading Australian, Tony D’Alberto.
“I did a good start and ran my own race,” Urrutia said. “I was a bit worried about vibration from the tyres, but the Safety Car helped.”
After he qualified fastest, D’Alberto was slow away from pole position, beaten to the first corner by Urrutia as well as Girolami. Mikel Azcona (Hyundai Elantra) was in fourth ahead of Ehrlacher, Thed Bjork (Lynk & Co), Josh Buchan (Hyundai i30N), Audi RS3 LMS teammates Rob Huff and Frederic Vervisch with Aaron Cameron 10th in the Peugeot 308.
TCR Australia points leader Sweeny dropped from his 16th starting position to 18th before he began his fightback and was 15th after four laps. Shortly after Azcona had a puncture on Mountain Straight which Michelisz into the top 10.
Azcona attempted to bring the ailing Hyundai Elantra back to the pits but stopped out of the Chase and that brought out the Safety Car. When the race resumed, Micheal Clemente was forced to pit his Audi to replace a cut tyre.
In the two laps to the chequered flag, the top three were line astern in the end. Fourth place went to Ehrlacher from Bjork and Huff who took over the points lead in TCR World Tour. He was followed to the line by Vervisch and Buchan.
The latter closed the points margin in the Supercheap Auto TCR series as his teammate Sweeny ultimately finished 12th behind Zac Soutar and Will Brown in their Audis.
Races 2 and 3 of the final round of the Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series and penultimate round of the Kumho TCR World Tour are scheduled for 12:50am and 4:10pm AEDT on Sunday.
