Photo: TCR Media

WestCoast Racing ready to fight with revamped driver line-up

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WestCoast Racing enter the 2016 TCR International Series with a revamped driver line-up, as well as the newly developed Honda Civic TCR Step 2, which was used by Gianni Morbidelli in the last two races in 2015.

The former Grand Prix driver returns to the team alongside team-mate Kevin Gleason, with young Finn Aku Pellinen adding even more taste to the recipe. With a race-winning car in the form of the Civic, as well as a strong driver line up, Team Principal Greger Petersson has no doubts the Honda team will be a protagonist this year.

“We expect the TCR International Series to be even more competitive in 2016, with more cars and a host of new teams entering the fray,” admitted the Swede. “However, we believe our entire setup is very strong and can withstand the threat, because the team’s management, engineers and mechanics are truly international, with an interesting mix of Swedes and other Europeans, and all are at the top of their game.”

The Team Principal is also particularly proud of his line-up for the season: “Of course, completing the setup are three very strong drivers. We welcome young Finnish racer, Aku Pellinen, to the fold alongside ex-F1 driver and multiple touring car Champion, Gianni Morbidelli, and Kevin Gleason, who came to us as a rookie with limited experience and developed into a race winner and a particularly impressive qualifier.”

Petersson is happy with the increasing interest over the TCR Series, particularly in Scandinavia, which according to him might embrace the TCR concept in the future: “After a fruitful, yet cold pre-season testing programme, everybody at WestCoast Racing is really looking forward to commencing the 2016 season in Bahrain. TCR is this year introducing a number of European championships. The German series seems very strong and I truly believe this formula is the future of saloon car racing worldwide, maybe also in Scandinavia. The fact that TCR International will be broadcast in the region on the Viasat Motor channel is proof of the growing interest in the series.”

The TCR International Series kicks off in Bahrain this weekend.