Photo: TCR Media

TCR promoters meet in Barcelona to plan national series development

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The national promoters of a number of countries planning to launch series using the TCR technical blueprint met this week in Barcelona during a two-day workshop to work out a common strategy for the future, in a meeting chaired by the TCR International Series promoter (WSC) CEO Marcello Lotti, and Motorsport Asia’s CEO David Sonenscher, the promoter of the TCR Asia Series.

Twelve countries in total were represented by the promoters and National Sporting Authorities (ASNs) of BeNeLux, China, Dominican Republic, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, The USA and Venezuela.

A plan was also approved to create a new regional series in 2016, which will prospectively be titled the TCR Central America Series, which should visit Columbia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico, USA and Venezuela.
 
The plans discussed also included conforming to one corporate identity across the globe, under the TCR (short for Touring Car Racer) format, and a single set of technical regulations, the start point of which has been the SEAT León Cup Racer, which successfully began racing in 2014 in its own single-make formula in the relaunched SEAT León Eurocup.

In terms of sporting regulations, each championship is free to develop its own racing format, tailored to their own local traditions and drivers’ needs.

The TCR International Series race weekend format will follow the footprint established by Lotti when he was the General Manager of the WTCC up until the end of 2013, with a two-part qualifying session, two 60km races with the first race’s grid set as per qualifying, and the second race’s grid set by the qualifying result with the top ten positions reversed, as was the WTCC’s system for the 2012-2013 seasons.

“I am very pleased to see that the concept we launched a few months ago is already meeting with such a large and enthusiastic consensus,” said Lotti. “After the meetings we had in Barcelona I am even more convinced that a bright future is expected for TCR.”