Josh Files wins the first race of the TCR Europe Trophy at Adria Raceway
Target Competition’s Josh Files had a strong start to his challenge for the TCR Europe Trophy, by winning the first race at Adria, taking the lead from Hyundai’s Gabriele Tarquini on the first lap, and holding off the Italian for victory in his Honda Civic.
Files had a great start in the Civic, but was matched off the line by Tarquini’s i30 N TCR, but the Briton was able to make a move down the inside of Tarquini’s Hyundai at Turn 2, with team-mate Giacomo Altoè settling into third as the top three began to pull away from the pack.
Behind them was V-Action Racing Team’s Luigi Ferrara in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but the Italian was handed a drive-through penalty for a false start which he served on lap nine, which dropped him outside the top ten.
Near the back of the top ten, Altoè’s older brother Giovanni was working his way forward in the DSG-equipped Volkswagen Golf, passing TCR Germany regular Luca Engstler’s Volkswagen Golf for ninth on lap ten, and then TCR Iberian champion Francisco Abreu on lap 11 for eighth a lap later.
Ferrara was recovering after his drive-through and was back into the top ten following Engstler’s retirement, and then passed Abreu’s Volkswagen on lap 14 with a move at Turn 1 to take ninth, with Abreu soon dropping out of contention with a drive-through for multiple track limits violations.
Up front, Files began to pull away from Tarquini during the final laps and took the win by two seconds from Tarquini, with Altoè third.
In the standings, Files leads on 35 points ahead of team-mate Altoè by 12 points, with Aurélien Comte in the DG Sport Peugeot third 15 points behind, with Tarquini not eligible to score.
Florian Thoma will start Race 2 from pole, while Comte is in a strong position after having made the most progress from his ninth on the grid in Race 1, as he starts second on the grid for Race 2.
